His career prospects changed in 2004 with the action film Dhoom, and he received critical acclaim for his performances in the dramas Yuva (2004), Sarkar (2005), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), winning three consecutive Filmfare Awards for Best Supporting Actor.

"[15] Bachchan next appeared opposite Keerthi Reddy in Tera Jadoo Chal Gayaa, portraying an artist who falls in a one-sided love.

[14][16] His third release of the year, Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, was a remake of the 1995 American film A Walk in the Clouds and turned out to be a box office flop.

[18] In 2002, Bachchan had four film releases, the first of which was the romantic drama Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya, opposite Karisma Kapoor and Akshay Kumar.

[14] Bachchan's performance in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic dramedy Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003) earned him his first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor,[21] although the film was a flop.

[14][28] He then starred in Mani Ratnam's political drama Yuva (2004), which had a below average performance at the box office,[29][30] but earned Bachchan his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

[31] He then made a cameo in the romantic comedy Hum Tum,[32] and starred alongside Shilpa Shetty and Salman Khan in Phir Milenge.

Bachchan better established himself in Hindi cinema playing a no-nonsense Mumbai police officer in the hit action thriller Dhoom (2004), which also starred John Abraham, Uday Chopra, Esha Deol, and Rimi Sen in pivotal roles.

[14][34] Bachchan's first release of 2005 was the crime comedy Bunty Aur Babli, which featured him and Rani Mukerji as the titular con artist duo who perform several successful heists and fall in love along the way.

[14] His performance as the morally upright son of a troubled politician (played by his father Amitabh Bachchan) earned him rave reviews from critics as well as his second consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

[44] Bachchan won his third consecutive Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Karan Johar's ensemble musical romantic drama Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006),[45] which focused on the subjects of marital infidelity and dysfunctional relationships.

Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was a popular release, earning over ₹1.13 billion (US$13 million) to emerge as the highest-grossing Hindi film in overseas markets to that point.

With earnings of ₹1.5 billion (US$17 million), Dhoom 2 became the highest grossing Indian film at that time, a distinction that was held for two years,[50] though some critics commented that Bachchan was "reduced to a mere supporting player" to his co-star Roshan.

[51] Bachchan earned critical acclaim for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Guru (2007), loosely based on the life of business magnate Dhirubhai Ambani.

"[52] The film starred him alongside Aishwarya Rai (their first professional collaboration after their engagement), R. Madhavan, Mithun Chakraborty, Vidya Balan, and Arya Babbar.

[14] He was then seen playing a minor role in the female-centric drama Laaga Chunari Mein Daag (2007) as the love interest of the film's lead actress Rani Mukerji.

[61][62] After making a guest appearance in Mission Istaanbul,[63] Bachchan's next release was the fantasy adventure film Drona (2008), which emerged as a major critical and commercial disaster.

[14][64] He was next seen in Tarun Mansukhani's Dostana (2008), a romantic comedy about two men (Bachchan and John Abraham) who pretend to be gay in order to be allowed to live with a girl (Priyanka Chopra), but then find that they have both fallen in love with her.

The film featured an ensemble cast consisting of Bachchan, Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sonu Sood, Boman Irani, Vivaan Shah and Jackie Shroff.

The film became a major commercial success grossing ₹3.8 billion (US$64.85 million) worldwide,[91][92][93] and earned him his sixth nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.

[102][103] In the same year, he began starring in the TV series Breathe: Into the Shadows, Alongside Amit Sadh and Nithya Menen which premiered on Amazon Prime Video.

[106] Bachchan's next project, The Big Bull, directed by Kookie Gulati and produced by Ajay Devgn, Anand Pandit and Kumar Mangat, for which he started shooting in September 2019,[107][108] streamed worldwide on 8 April 2021 on Disney+ Hotstar.

[120] In 2024, Bachchan starred in the biographical drama film based on the life of cancer survivor Arjun Sen, I Want to Talk, directed by Shoojit Sircar.

Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com wrote, "Abhishek Bachchan conveys the numerous chapters and challenges of his mind, body and soul with a never-before candour".

[121] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express observed that "Bachchan lets go of vanity, revealing a thickened gut, and scars-on-the-belly, and an ability to bare.

Bachchan fell in love with Aishwarya Rai while filming for Dhoom 2,[127] though both of them had already appeared together in Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (in which her then longtime boyfriend, Salman Khan, made a brief cameo) and Kuch Naa Kaho.

[148] Bachchan has been a celebrity endorser and brand ambassador for products like LG Home appliances,[149] American Express credit cards,[150] Videocon DTH,[151] Motorola mobiles,[152] Ford Fiesta[153] and Idea Cellular.

[159] In 2005, Bachchan was a part of Tamil director Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru Indru Naalai, an event which sought to raise funds for The Banyan, a voluntary organisation which rehabilitates homeless women with mental illness in Chennai.

[160] In the summer of 2008, Bachchan, his wife, his father, and actors Preity Zinta, Riteish Deshmukh, and Madhuri Dixit starred in the "Unforgettable World Tour" stage production.

[168][169] For his roles in the films Yuva (2004), Sarkar (2005), and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), Bachchan won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor.