Khan rarely played the lead, but his supporting and comic roles made him one of Hindi cinema's most recognisable character actors. He built an early association with filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, appearing in Aashiqui (1990) as tailor Rafu Master, and later in Sadak and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), where his portrayal of Bhagwat Prasad Mishra won him wide recognition.