66

Salman Khan has always been the different Khan. And it’s not me alone saying it, but the industry (including most of his heroines, co-stars and filmmakers), trade and other observers. The Eternal Bachelor turns 60 today, and as David Dhawan, his director in multiple films puts it, “What a looker he is even today!”

For the record, he started out with a second(ary) hero’s role in Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988) and took off to superstardom with Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), co-starring Bhagyashree, a child actress-turned-heroine who still remembers him as a protective gentleman and someone very warm with her even when they non-romantically united in his 2024 home production, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.

Salman is different because he takes his extraordinary stardom and staying power very lightly. As a man who is thoroughly passionate about Hindi cinema, he does not pay just lip-service to it but introduces or mentors’ new talent across the board. Here are the names he has mentored down the decades. 

Aayush Sharma

Married to Salman Khan’s adopted sister Arpita, he was introduced by Salman Khan in Loveyatri (2017) and later starred with him in Antim: The Final Truth (2021).

Abhiraj Minawala

He was given his directorial break with the same film and is now directing YRF’s Mardaani 3.

Adnan Sami

The singer-composer has only done one full film as a composer—Salman’s 2005 home production, Lucky—No Time for Love.

Alvira Agnihotri

Salman’s other sister, Alvira, was credited as co-producer with husband Atul Agnihotri in Bodyguard (2011).

Amaal Mallik

Daboo Malik’s son, Amaal Mallik, made his debut with a song in Jai Ho! (2012), Salman’s home production.

Arbaaz Khan

Arbaaz Khan turned producer with Dabangg (2010) and later made a franchise of it, turning director and co-writer as well with Dabangg 2 (2012).

Arjun Kapoor

Boney Kapoor’s son, an overweight Arjun Kapoor, was groomed to fitness by Salman who thus inspired him to take up a film career.

Athiya Shetty

Suniel Shetty’s daughter, Athiya Shetty, was introduced in the remake of Subhash Ghai’s Hero, a film produced by Salman.

Atul Agnihotri

Brother-in-law to Salman, this actor was introduced as director with Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa (2004) and then Hello and as producer with Bodyguard (2011) and later Bharat. 

Bhumika Chawla

The South heroine of Northern origin made her Hindi debut with Tere Naam (2003), a home production of sorts for Salman, though officially produced by Sunil Manchanda and Mukesh Talreja, who later also produced Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa and Kyon Ki… with him.

Daisy Shah

She made her first appearance in Jai Ho! as a leading lady in Hindi cinema. She was also cast in his co-production, Race 3.

Himesh Reshammiya

The maverick composer was introduced to films after a checkered TV innings as producer-composer with the hit, Odh li chunariya, in Salman’s home production, Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998). He got his first solo break in Salman’s Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (2000) and is now back to his first solo star-driven film in a decade—Battle of Galwan, Salman’s forthcoming film as actor-producer.

Hina Warina

Then known as Warina Hussein, she was introduced in Loveyatri.

Hrithik Roshan

When he was to do his debut film, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai, Hrithik Roshan called Salman (who had done his father Rakesh Roshan’s Karan Arjun) out of the blue for guidance and Salman became his mentor, turning the skinny lad into the hunk we all know Hrithik as!

Ismail Darbar

Though technically it was Sanjay Leela Bhansali who discovered and introduced Ismail Darbar as composer, it was after Salman had become a superstar for a decade. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) even today ranks among the finest musicals of the actor, who must have approved his director’s choice when the filmmaker was just one flop (with Salman!) old. It won the National award for that year for Best Music.

Kamaal Khan

The singer (not to be confused with Kamaal R. Khan, the social media terror) who is a Sikh and acquired his second name because of his own favorite singer, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, made his film playback debut for Khan with the super-hit O o jaanejaana from Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. 

Kanchan & Chandni

These were the two new faces Salman had in his first post-Maine Pyar Kiya blockbuster, Sanam Bewafaa(1991).

Kumar & Ramesh S. Taurani

The two brothers who own Tips Records had co-produced a few films including Salman’s Jeet (1996). But they turned official producers in Auzaar (1997), which was their first production under the now famous Tips Films banner.

Nagma

Then known as ‘Naghma’, she was introduced opposite a sudden sensation named Salman Khan in his first release after Maine Pyar Kiya—Baaghi (1990).

Namrata Shirodkar

And Namrata Shirodkar had a key lead role in Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (1998), signaling the start of her career.

Prabhudheva

Actor in dubbed films and choreographer in them as well as in Pukar and Lakshya, Prabhudheva began the most lucrative phase of his career with Wanted (2009) as a director. With this film, to be fair, he gave the then-low phase of Salman a turnaround, and as it happened, gave him the first Eid release connection. Another point: the film happens to be Ayesha Takia’s only hit in her entire career!

Pranutan Bahl

Nutan’s granddaughter and Mohnish’s and Ektaa Bahl’s daughter got a break with Salman’s production, Notebook (2019).

Radhika Rao & Vinay Sapru

This video-making team turned film directors with Lucky—No Time for Love.

Raveena Tandon Thadani

The daughter of filmmaker Ravi Tandon who became a huge star in the 1990s made her debut opposite Salman in Patthar Ke Phool (1990). Though the film did not do well, she never forgot her first co-star, who did a cameo in her debut production, Stumped.

Revathy

Introduced to Hindi films as actress with Love (1991), Revathi later turned director with Phir Milenge (2004), for which, like Raveena, she signed Salman but in a pivotal role.

Saiee Manjrekar

Mahesh Manjrekar’s daughter Saiee was cast in a small but significant role in Dabangg 3.

Sajid Nadiadwala

The producer who had a long association with Salman, beginning with Judwaa, turned director with Kick(2014) featuring the actor in Hindi cinema’s third (and first non-Aamir Khan) 200-crore grosser after 3 Idiotsand Dhoom:3.

Sajid-Wajid
The music composers were brought in for the lovely Teri jawani badi mast mast hai in Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, later on going to score music jointly or solo for more Salman movies than anyone else.

Salma Khan

And Salman could have said to have made his mother Salma a producer as well with Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Hero (both 2015) among later films!

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Salman was cast by Bhansali in his first directorial, Khamoshi—The Musical (1996) and later in Hum Dil…(the film that established him commercially) and in a cameo in Saawariya. Bhansali was an unknown entity then.

Shirish Kunder

Farah Khan’s editor husband Shirish Kunder was given a directorial break in Jaan-E-Mann (2006) produced by Salman’s now close friend and producer Sajid Nadiadwala.

Siddique

The South director got his Hindi debut in Bodyguard.

Sneha Ullal 

The petite actress appeared for the first time in Lucky—No Time for Love.

Sohail Khan

Sohail Khan got his break as a writer-director with Auzaar (1997) and turned producer with Pyaar Kiya… a year later.

Sonakshi Sinha

Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter was mentored and groomed by Salman and made her smash debut with the blockbuster, Dabangg (2010).

Sonam Kapoor

Though Ranbir Kapoor was introduced as her leading man, it was also Salman who was cast romantically opposite Anil Kapoor’s daughter in Saawariya!

Sooraj Pancholi

Aditya Pancholi and Zarina Wahab’s son Sooraj Pancholi was launched in and as Hero.

Suresh Krishna

The prolific South director made Love (1991) and Jaagruti (1992), his only Hindi films, with Salman.

Zaheer Iqbal

Now Sonakshi’s husband and also Salman’s family friend, Zaheer Iqbal was introduced in Notebook.

Zareen Khan

She is Salman’s discovery in the 2010 Veer, who acted in a cameo also in Ready.

We could have included the director and cast of Salman’s English production, Doctor Cabbie as well as of Marigold, and the Chinese heroine Zhu Zhu of Tubelight as well! Not to mention Vinod Khanna’s brother, producer Pramod Khanna, doing his brother’s role in Dabangg 3. But since they could not have gone anywhere beyond in Hindi cinema, we do not include them here!