# Mukesh Rishi
**Mukesh Rishi** (मुकेश ऋषि; born 1956) is an Indian actor and producer known for villain and character roles across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and [Marathi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/marathi-cinema). He is best known for playing Bulla in *Gunda* (1998), Inspector Salim in *Sarfarosh* (1999), and Inspector Khurshid Khan in *[Koi... Mil Gaya](https://www.edgepedia.org/koi-mil-gaya)* (2003).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1956, Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, India[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262) |
| Signature roles | Bulla in *Gunda* (1998), Inspector Salim in *Sarfarosh* (1999), Inspector Khurshid Khan in *Koi... Mil Gaya* (2003)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262) |
| Bollywood debut | *Parampara* (1993)[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/veteran-actor-mukesh-rishi-says-he-never-reached-a-level-where-he-could-be-friendly-with-bollywood-stars-how-can-i-call-dharmendra-my-friend-8854202/lite/) |
| Languages worked in | Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Marathi films, plus popular TV serials[3](https://societyachievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Society-Achievers-April-2024.pdf) |
| Award nominations | Filmfare Best Supporting Actor for *Sarfarosh* (2000); Filmfare Best Villain (Telugu) for *[Indra](https://www.edgepedia.org/indra-2002-film)* (2003) and *Seetayya* (2004)[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq4DUpNmhlQ) |
| Family | Married to Keshni Rishi; father of actor Raghav Rishi[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262/bio/) |
## Early life and path to acting
Rishi was born in Kathua, in the Jammu region of [Jammu and Kashmir](https://www.edgepedia.org/jammu-and-kashmir), into a family that ran a stone-crushing business; he was the first in his family to enter cinema.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262) • [6](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/mukesh-rishi/biography.html) Interested in sports, he moved to [Chandigarh](https://www.edgepedia.org/chandigarh) for his graduation, played cricket, and became vice-captain of his college team; he also practiced karate.[3](https://societyachievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Society-Achievers-April-2024.pdf)
Before films, he worked for two years in the family stone-crushing business in Mumbai, then left India for Fiji, where he met his wife, a Fijian-Indian whose family ran a departmental store. The couple moved to New Zealand, where he began modeling while holding a job, and after about seven years abroad he returned to Mumbai and enrolled at Roshan Taneja's acting school.[6](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/mukesh-rishi/biography.html) He has said he never completed a formal long acting course and works from the script, building characters through dialogue and the physical discipline drawn from his sports and fitness background.[7](https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1302632)
## Career
**Television and early films.** His first screen work included the serial *Tipu Sultan*, in which he played a villain; he has said the role taught him a great deal even though it did not bring much work.[3](https://societyachievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Society-Achievers-April-2024.pdf) He also appeared in advertisements for brands including Blue Dart, Chyawanprash, and [Thums Up](https://www.edgepedia.org/thums-up), and has credited meetings with producer contacts and Firoz Nadiadwala, and [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan)'s offer of *Baazi*, with starting his film career.[8](https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/films/mukesh-rishi-i-am-just-a-common-man-working-for-my-rozi-roti) His Bollywood debut came with *Parampara* in 1993, and he went on to work in hundreds of films alongside stars such as [Dharmendra](https://www.edgepedia.org/dharmendra), Amitabh Bachchan, and Sunny Deol.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/veteran-actor-mukesh-rishi-says-he-never-reached-a-level-where-he-could-be-friendly-with-bollywood-stars-how-can-i-call-dharmendra-my-friend-8854202/lite/)
**The villain typecast.** Through the 1990s he became one of [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema)'s familiar negative leads, playing the antagonist opposite [Amitabh Bachchan](https://www.edgepedia.org/amitabh-bachchan) in *Lal Baadshah* and opposite [Salman Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/salman-khan) in *Judwa*.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/amitabh-bachchan-salman-khan-and-i-worked-out-together-mukesh-rishi-9475594/lite/) His Bulla in *Gunda* (1998) remains the role he is most identified with.[10](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/gunda-baddie-mukesh-rishi-new-villains-have-no-position-in-bollywood/story-fSmW3F1yvlxBW0niRnyLTO.html) He has spoken about the limits of this image, saying that villains are addressed as villains rather than counted as actors, and that writers rarely imagine other roles for them.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/villains-are-not-considered-as-artists-but-i-wanted-to-prove-otherwise-mukesh-rishi/articleshow/79648322.cms)
**The turn to the south.** After *Sarfarosh* (1999), in which he played Inspector Salim opposite Aamir Khan, he expected more Hindi film offers; instead, calls came from southern filmmakers, and he established himself there in negative roles.[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mukesh-rishi-says-he-expected-bollywood-offers-after-sarfaroshs-success-but-only-got-calls-from-south-really-clicked-there-9146838/) By 2007 he had completed 22 Telugu films and had worked with stars including [Chiranjeevi](https://www.edgepedia.org/chiranjeevi), Balakrishna, Nagarjuna, and [Mahesh Babu](https://www.edgepedia.org/mahesh-babu).[13](https://www.nowrunning.com/news/bollywood/villainous-roles-lack-variety-says-mukesh-rishi/10056/story.htm) He has also taken positive roles in southern cinema, including the role [Sanjay Dutt](https://www.edgepedia.org/sanjay-dutt) played in *Son of Sardar* in its Kannada version, and he learns his lines well enough to perform close to the original language rather than relying on dubbing.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/villains-are-not-considered-as-artists-but-i-wanted-to-prove-otherwise-mukesh-rishi/articleshow/79648322.cms)
**Recent work.** In the historical streaming series *Salakaar* he portrayed the Pakistani leader Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a role he described as demanding restraint, discipline, and an understanding of historical complexity.[7](https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1302632) As a producer, he made the Punjabi film *Nidarr*, which marked the acting debut of his son Raghav Rishi.[14](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/celebrity/gunda-actor-mukesh-rishi-on-playing-villain-children-are-no-more-scared-of-me-bollywood-news-entertainment-news-article-95732903)
## Working style and public persona
Rishi has described his preparation as coming from life rather than an institute: familiarity with the bearing of army and police officers, gained before films, serves him in uniformed roles.[3](https://societyachievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Society-Achievers-April-2024.pdf) He credits the director [Priyadarshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/priyadarshan) as a formative influence, praising his precision on set and saying he never saw him ask for a safety take.[7](https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1302632) In interviews he has kept his professional distance from the industry's social circles, saying he was never part of any lobby and went home after shoots instead of socializing with co-stars.[2](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/veteran-actor-mukesh-rishi-says-he-never-reached-a-level-where-he-could-be-friendly-with-bollywood-stars-how-can-i-call-dharmendra-my-friend-8854202/lite/)
## References
1. [Mukesh Rishi, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262)
2. [Veteran actor Mukesh Rishi says he never reached a 'level' where he could be friendly with Bollywood stars, The Indian Express (2023)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/veteran-actor-mukesh-rishi-says-he-never-reached-a-level-where-he-could-be-friendly-with-bollywood-stars-how-can-i-call-dharmendra-my-friend-8854202/lite/)
3. [Mukesh Rishi: leading character actor, Society Achievers (April 2024)](https://societyachievers.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Society-Achievers-April-2024.pdf)
4. [Mukesh Rishi biography video, Hindi Radio, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq4DUpNmhlQ)
5. [Mukesh Rishi Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0728262/bio/)
6. [Mukesh Rishi Biography, FilmiBeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/celebs/mukesh-rishi/biography.html)
7. [Mukesh Rishi on learning from life and cinema, Daijiworld (2026)](https://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay?newsID=1302632)
8. [Mukesh Rishi: I am just a common man working for my 'rozi-roti', National Herald (2020)](https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/amp/story/films/mukesh-rishi-i-am-just-a-common-man-working-for-my-rozi-roti)
9. ['Amitabh Bachchan made me feel comfortable on Lal Baadshah set', The Indian Express (2024)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/amitabh-bachchan-salman-khan-and-i-worked-out-together-mukesh-rishi-9475594/lite/)
10. [Gunda baddie Mukesh Rishi: New villains have no position in Bollywood, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/gunda-baddie-mukesh-rishi-new-villains-have-no-position-in-bollywood/story-fSmW3F1yvlxBW0niRnyLTO.html)
11. [Villains are not considered as artists but I wanted to prove otherwise: Mukesh Rishi, Times of India (2020)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/villains-are-not-considered-as-artists-but-i-wanted-to-prove-otherwise-mukesh-rishi/articleshow/79648322.cms)
12. [Mukesh Rishi says he expected Bollywood offers after Sarfarosh's success but only got calls from south, The Indian Express (2024)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/mukesh-rishi-says-he-expected-bollywood-offers-after-sarfaroshs-success-but-only-got-calls-from-south-really-clicked-there-9146838/)
13. [Villainous roles lack variety, says Mukesh Rishi, Nowrunning/IANS (2007)](https://www.nowrunning.com/news/bollywood/villainous-roles-lack-variety-says-mukesh-rishi/10056/story.htm)
14. [Gunda actor Mukesh Rishi on playing villain, Zoom TV](https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/celebrity/gunda-actor-mukesh-rishi-on-playing-villain-children-are-no-more-scared-of-me-bollywood-news-entertainment-news-article-95732903)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1990s–2000s › Surnames R to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license