Salman Khan, the eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan, became a household name almost overnight when Maine Pyar Kiya turned him into the romantic idol of late-1980s India. Through the 1990s he alternated family blockbusters like Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! with action and romance, building a fan following whose loyalty remains among the most intense in Indian cinema — his devotees fill theatres regardless of reviews.

After a rocky patch in the 2000s, Wanted and Dabangg reinvented him as a larger-than-life mass-action hero, and the Tiger spy franchise made him a pillar of the YRF universe. Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Sultan proved he could carry emotional drama too. Beyond films, he hosts the reality show Bigg Boss and runs the Being Human charitable foundation, keeping him constantly in the public eye.

Filmography Highlights

• Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) — Blockbuster romance that made him a star
• Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) — Era-defining family musical and record-breaking hit
• Karan Arjun (1995) — Reincarnation drama pairing him with Shah Rukh Khan
• Tere Naam (2003) — Intense tragic romance with a famously imitated hairstyle
• Dabangg (2010) — Chulbul Pandey cop caper that redefined his stardom
• Ek Tha Tiger (2012) — Spy hit that launched the Tiger franchise
• Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) — Beloved cross-border drama, among India's biggest earners
• Sultan (2016) — Wrestling drama blending sport, romance and redemption

Image: Wikimedia Commons. Part of the Top 50 Bollywood Celebrities series. Ranking inspired by popular industry listings; profiles are original editorial content.