Mukesh Rishi (born 19 April 1956) is an Indian actor and film producer who works primarily in Hindi and Telugu films. He has also appeared in Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Marathi and Tamil films. He got his first break in Hindi in 1988 and has since, established himself as a leading character actor.
He started his career in films as a villain. He joins a list of non-Telugu speaking actors, such as Amrish Puri, Puneet Issar, Paresh Rawal, Sharat Saxena, Pradeep Rawat, Narendra Jha, Rahul Dev, Mukul Dev, Sonu Sood, Ashutosh Rana, Sachin Khedekar, Boman Irani, and Sayaji Shinde who have successfully established themselves in Telugu movies.
Early life
Rishi was born in Jammu. After his graduation from Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, and working for two years in Mumbai, Rishi went to work in Fiji where he met his future-wife of Fijian-Indian descent. Her family ran a traditional departmental store. He has a lucrative investment portfolio including warehouse investments.
After marriage, they went to New Zealand, where Mukesh started his career as a model. However, he could hardly find time for modelling due to a busy work schedule and was dissatisfied with his modelling assignments. After seven years, he returned to Mumbai, India and enrolled in Roshan Taneja's acting school.
Filmography
Hindi
Telugu
Malayalam
Kannada
Bhoopathi (2007) Aravind Ram
Bombaat (2008) School Master (2010) Kanteerava (2011) Maryade Ramanna (2011) James (2022)
Punjabi
Mitter Pyare Nu Haal Mureedan Da Kehna(2004) Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris (2006) Taur Mittran Di (2012) Jatt James Bond (2014) Sikka(2015) Ishq My Religion(2019) Nidarr(2023)
Bhojpuri
Dulhan Chahi Pakistan Se (2016)
Tamil
Lockdown Diaries (2023) En Vazhi Thani Vazhi (2015) as Bhai Singam 2 (2013) as Bhai, partner of Thangaraj (Rahman) Ramana (2002) as Jalandhar Singh Vallarasu (2000) as Wasim Khan
Marathi
Balgandharva (film) (2011) as Pathan
Truckbhar Swapna (2021) as R.K. Sher Shivraj (2022) as Afzalkhan
Odia
Aakhi Palakare Tu (2010)
Television serials
The Sword of Tipu Sultan (1990) Chittod Ki Rani Padmini Ka Johur (2009) Prithvi Vallabh (2018)
Web series
Abhay (2019)