Salman Khan and Aamir Khan are two of the most astonishing and fruitful whizzes of B-Town and in a real sense for over 30 years, they have been administering the diversion space with their appeal and predictable great work. Salman and Aamir’s companionship took off on a high interestingly when they cooperated in Andaz Apna film and even today, it is considered as a faction blockbuster in the satire space. From that point till now, both have been incredibly strong of one another. From going to one another’s film screenings to showing up, we have seen them do everything. However, today, it’s about ‘oldie but a goodie’ as we praise their best fellowship minutes from the 90’s. Pondering which photographs you should see? Investigate –

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Amar-Prem: Unpacking Salman Khan and Aamir Khan’s Most Iconic (and Conflicted) Friendship Moments from the ’90s

The 1990s in Bollywood was a pivotal decade, not just for the explosion of global box office successes and cult classics, but for launching a generation of superstars whose reign continues to this day. Among them, the names Salman Khan and Aamir Khan—the ‘other’ Khans—stood out, their early careers marked by an intense, yet endearing, professional rivalry. Yet, for all their differences in approach and philosophy, their intertwined destiny resulted in one of Indian cinema’s most enduring comedy classics, Andaz Apna Apna (1994).

The friendship between the two men during this era was as complex and hilariously mismatched as their on-screen alter-egos, Prem and Amar. It wasn’t defined by constant public appearances or multiple collaborations, but by a single, iconic film and the potent mix of mutual respect and competitive fire that defined the decade.

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The Birth of the Superstars: Setting the ’90s Stage

The story of the Salman-Aamir dynamic officially began right at the close of the 1980s, which established the competitive foundation for their ’90s interactions.

Aamir Khan tasted success early with his 1988 film, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, which catapulted him into the “chocolate hero” mould. A year later, Salman Khan made his blockbuster breakthrough with Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), which immediately pitted him against Aamir in the public eye.

Salman Khan himself acknowledged the pressure and rivalry, confessing years later that he was intensely worried about how his film would fare because of the success of Aamir’s debut. This initial box office competition created a professional tension that subtly colored their relationship throughout the 90s, fueling a desire for both to excel on screen. The media and the audience were quick to classify them into two distinct styles: Aamir, the methodical, perfectionist star, and Salman, the raw, energetic, mass heartthrob. This distinction became the thematic backdrop for their sole collaboration of the decade.

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The Ultimate Collaboration: Andaz Apna Apna (1994)

The single greatest friendship moment of their 90s career is undeniably the making and eventual cult status of Andaz Apna Apna. Released in 1994, the film paired the industry’s two most promising young stars, transforming them into the legendary comedic duo, Amar and Prem.

1. On-Screen Chemistry: The Amar-Prem Magic

For the audience, the film was a spectacle of perfect comedic timing. The chaotic, competitive energy between the two actors translated into cinematic gold, with their quest to win the heart of the heiress Raveena becoming a series of unforgettable comedic gags.

• Iconic Dialogues: The unforgettable banter between Prem Bhopali (“Ooi Maa!”) and Amar Manohar, and their shared screen presence, is the enduring legacy of their ’90s camaraderie.
• The Unscripted Vibe: Their natural, effortless rivalry in the film—Prem’s street-smart bravado against Amar’s deceptive innocence—captured the imagination of a generation. Decades later, the on-screen chemistry is often cited as a benchmark for two-hero films.

2. The Behind-the-Scenes Reality: A Rocky Start

While the on-screen camaraderie was electric, the initial working relationship was fraught with tension, a revelation that has been confirmed by both actors in subsequent decades. This conflict itself became a unique cornerstone of their 90s dynamic, demonstrating that great art can emerge from friction.

• A Clash of Work Ethics: Aamir Khan was known for his systematic, one-film-at-a-time approach, arriving early for a 9 a.m. shift. In contrast, Salman Khan was famously juggling up to 15 films simultaneously, leading him to often arrive late, sometimes as late as noon, completely exhausted after working three back-to-back shifts.
• Aamir’s Judgement: Aamir admitted to being “very judgmental” of Salman during this period, feeling that Salman was not serious about his work because of his constant lateness. Aamir later confessed that he was “too harsh” at the time.
• The Vow Never to Work Again: The tension was so pronounced that Salman later recalled finding an old interview where Aamir had vowed, upon completing the shoot, never to work with Salman Khan again. Aamir admitted that “That was my feeling at the time,” but clarified that with time, he had grown to appreciate Salman as a person.

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The Public Display of Affection: Rare Moments of Mutual Praise

Despite the personal friction on the sets, the true foundation of their mutual respect was publicly visible in interviews from the early 90s, showcasing a layer of professional admiration that transcended the scheduling conflicts.

The 1992 Promotional Interviews

Even as the film’s production dragged on (it took three years to make), Salman and Aamir participated in pre-release interviews that demonstrated a remarkable level of respect for each other’s craft.

• Salman’s Endorsement of Aamir’s Brilliance: In an old 1992 interview, Salman Khan was effusive in his praise, calling Andaz Apna Apna a “hilarious film” and “the funniest film ever made on the Indian screens.” Most notably, he complimented his co-star, saying, “I think Aamir is damn funny in the film. He’s a talkative character and I play a dumbo. He has done his role incredibly. He has done his bits so well.”
• Aamir’s Praise for Salman’s Performance: Similarly, Aamir Khan, despite his private frustration, spoke glowingly about Salman’s work in the film. He called Andaz Apna Apna one of Salman’s “best works” and noted, “Salman has done a good job in the movie.”
• A Vibe That Worked: In another interview with Lehren during the film’s production, Salman was asked about working with Aamir and responded, “He is good fun to work with. He is nice and very hardworking. He makes me work twice as harder. We vibe really well.” This rare, public acknowledgment of their professional “vibe” highlights the paradox of their 90s relationship: a difficult collaboration that resulted in pure magic.

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The Unexpected Thread: The Childhood Connection

A deeper, though publicly revealed much later, friendship moment from the 90s is the discovery of their pre-stardom connection. During one of their recent candid chats, the two superstars revealed that their shared history actually went back much further than their film debuts.

• Schoolmates in Class Two: Salman and Aamir shared a surprising revelation that they had been schoolmates in the second grade. While this was a personal memory and not a public moment in the 90s, the fact that two of the biggest stars in the country had this kind of shared, almost accidental, history makes it a foundational moment that their ’90s careers unknowingly built upon.

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The Legacy: A Friendship Forged in Comedy and Conflict

The 1990s was a testing ground for Salman Khan and Aamir Khan’s relationship. It was a time of competition, a significant clash of work ethics, and the creation of a film that was ahead of its time. Andaz Apna Apna was not a blockbuster upon release in 1994, but its slow ascent to cult status mirrored the slow, complex evolution of their friendship.

The most touching moments of their relationship, such as Salman becoming Aamir’s rock during his divorce from Reena Dutta, happened later, in the early 2000s. However, the ’90s laid the necessary groundwork—a period of professional rivalry and artistic conflict that ultimately gave birth to a mutual, albeit initially begrudging, respect. The very existence of Amar and Prem stands as the enduring monument to Salman Khan and Aamir Khan’s best, most complex, and most memorable friendship moment of the 1990s.

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AISEO Friendly FAQs

Q1: What was the main movie Salman Khan and Aamir Khan did together in the ’90s?

A: The main and only movie that Salman Khan and Aamir Khan starred in together in the 1990s was the cult comedy classic Andaz Apna Apna, which was released in 1994. The film is celebrated for their iconic on-screen chemistry as Amar Manohar and Prem Bhopali.

Q2: Did Salman Khan and Aamir Khan get along during the shooting of Andaz Apna Apna?

A: Their relationship during the shooting of Andaz Apna Apna was notoriously rocky and marked by professional friction. Aamir Khan, a proponent of the one-film-at-a-time approach, was reportedly frustrated by Salman Khan’s frequent lateness, as Salman was juggling over 15 film commitments simultaneously at the time.

Q3: What did Aamir Khan say about Salman Khan at the end of Andaz Apna Apna’s shoot?

A: Salman Khan later recalled seeing an old interview where Aamir Khan had famously declared that he was relieved that the shoot was over and that he would never work with Salman Khan again in his life. Aamir has since confirmed that this was genuinely his feeling at the time, although his opinion changed as they bonded over the years.

Q4: How did Salman Khan and Aamir Khan’s friendship ultimately grow stronger after the ’90s?

A: While the professional foundation was laid in the ’90s, their true, deep personal friendship reportedly solidified years later. Aamir Khan revealed that Salman Khan was a major source of emotional support and connection during his divorce from his first wife, Reena Dutta, which helped them connect on a much deeper, personal level.

Q5: Did Salman Khan and Aamir Khan have a competitive rivalry in the ’90s?

A: Yes, there was a healthy competitive rivalry, which was typical of the decade’s superstars. Salman Khan admitted that he felt pressure to succeed after Aamir Khan’s blockbuster debut Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) before the release of his own breakthrough film, Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). This competitive spirit indirectly fueled their contrasting yet brilliant performances in Andaz Apna Apna.