Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was followed by Raakh (1989) directed by a young friend of Aamir's and a son of well-known filmmaker Basu Bhattacharya, Aditya Bhattacharya. Though the film didn't work at the box-office, it established Aamir's potential as a serious actor.

The commercial sucess of QSQT saw a queue of directors outside Aamir's door. However, the films he chose in a hurry led him nowhere. Among the post QSQT films he had signed on, only Indra Kumar's Dil(1990), Mahesh Bhatt's Dil hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991) and Mansoor Khan's Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar(1992) made any impact. Quick to realise his folly, Aamir decided to be more discreet in signing films thereafter. Intrestingly, he wrote his next film Hum hai Rahi Pyaar Ke (1993), which was directed by Mahesh Bhatt. It turned out to be a major blockbuster and fetched for Juhi Chawla her only Best Actress Award from Filmfare. Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke marked a turning point in Aamir's career. The films that followed, like Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Akele Hum Akele tum (1995), Baazi (1995), Rangeela (1995), Raja Hindustani (1996) Ishq (1997), Ghulam (1998) and 1947:Earth (1999), saw the actor in a new light. He became even more choosy with time and his involvement in his films became deeper and more assertive. He moved towards interesting projects rather than big banners and names. He made Sarfarosh (1999) with a new director John Mathew Mathan, produced Lagaan (2001) with a director (Ashutosh Gowariker) who was on a low careerwise after directing two flops, and Dil Chahata Hai (2001) with a bright, young new-age director (Farhan Akhtar) reafferming his  new-found approach to filmmaking. All the three pathbreaking films made the sparks fly at the box office He hasn't made a wrong move ever since. Taare Zameen Par (2007), which he directed, redifined his stature as an exceptional actor-director.