Mukesh Rishi
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1956-04-19
    • Born Place: Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Mukesh Rishi

Mukesh Rishi (born 19 April 1956 in Kathua, Jammu & Kashmir) is a seasoned Indian actor and film producer known for his commanding presence and powerful performances across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi, and Bhojpuri cinema . Standing tall at around 6′1″ (1.85 m) with a deep baritone voice and athletic build, he's frequently cast as a strong antagonist or key supporting character. After completing a graduate degree in Chandigarh, Mukesh spent two years working in Mumbai’s stone-crushing industry before relocating to Fiji, where he met his wife, Keshni Rishi — a woman of Indo-Fijian heritage. The couple moved to New Zealand, where Mukesh briefly tried his hand at modeling before returning to India. He honed his craft under the tutelage of Roshan Taneja in Mumbai. His acting career took root in the late 1980s with roles in Malayalam television and films, including Gandharvam (1992), and his Bollywood screen debut came with Parampara and more notably Gardish in 1993. Over the years, Mukesh has appeared in more than 200 films, earning acclaim for roles in Sarfarosh (as Inspector Saleem), Gunda (as Bulla), Indra, Simhadri, Koi… Mil Gaya, Ghatak, and many others. A versatile performer, he has played everything from villainous henchmen to positive characters, embracing roles that demand both intensity and nuance . His work has garnered several award nominations, including Filmfare nods for supporting and villainous performances in Sarfarosh, Indra, and Seetayya. Mukesh and Keshni have two children, a son Raghav—who has followed his father into acting—and a daughter, Sattviki. Besides cinema, he has built an investment portfolio, notably in real estate and warehousing . With a career spanning nearly four decades, Mukesh Rishi remains one of Indian cinema’s most reliable and charismatic character actors.

Person History