Actor · Telugu cinema
Mukesh Rishi
Mukesh Rishi movies: 68 Telugu films on file, 1994–2026. Earliest on file: Gandeevam (1994). Latest release: Itllu Arjuna (30 October 2026).
- Films on file
- 68 (68 as actor)
- Years on file
- 1994–2026
- Born
- 19 April 1956 · April birthdays (Wikidata)
- Selected films on file
- Arya 2, Simhadri, Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy
- Record
- Q6933443 on Wikidata
Mukesh Rishi is an Indian actor and producer who works mainly in Hindi and Telugu films, usually as a villain. After his Hindi break in Gardish (1993), he became one of the most familiar antagonists in Telugu cinema, in films such as Narasimha Naidu (2001), Indra (2002), Okkadu (2003) and Simhadri (2003). Our records list more than 60 Telugu films for him.
He was born on 19 April 1956 in Jammu, according to Wikipedia and Wikidata. He graduated from Government College, Sector 11, Chandigarh, worked in Mumbai and Fiji, and modelled in New Zealand before returning to Mumbai to study at Roshan Taneja’s acting school.
Career
His first screen break was as the villain Mir Sadiq in Sanjay Khan’s television serial The Sword of Tipu Sultan (1990). In Hindi films he played roles such as Inspector Saleem in Sarfarosh (1999) and Deshraj Thakur in Sooryavansham (1999). His first Telugu film was Gandeevam (1994), as Inspector Veeru Pentaiah.
From 2000 he worked steadily in Telugu. He played Kuppu Swamy Naidu in Narasimha Naidu, Veera Shankar Reddy opposite Chiranjeevi in Indra, DCP Vijay Varma in Okkadu and Bhai Saab in Simhadri. Later roles include Narasimha in Pournami (2006), Stalin (2006), Raji Reddy in Arya 2 (2009), Peddi Reddy in Race Gurram (2014), the Home Minister in Power (2014) and Venkata Ratnam in Srimanthudu (2015).
He has also appeared in Attarintiki Daredi and Baadshah (2013), Sardar Gabbar Singh (2016), as Papa Khan in Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019), as MP Korentla Rajendra in Vakeel Saab (2021), and in Manamey (2024) and Kannappa (2025). Outside Telugu he has worked in Tamil films such as Vallarasu (2000) and Singam 2 (2013), and in several Punjabi films.
Upcoming films
- Itllu Arjuna: on our records for release on 30 October 2026.
More dates appear on upcoming Telugu movies as they are announced.
Where to watch his films
- Kannappa: Prime Video, from 4 September 2025, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
- Manamey: Prime Video, from 7 March 2025, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
- Vakeel Saab: Prime Video, from 30 April 2021, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
- Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy: digital rights with Prime Video, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
- Okkadu: Sun NXT, per Wikipedia (OTT details)
- Attarintiki Daredi, Baadshah, Arya 2 and Stalin: Aha, per the platform listing (Attarintiki Daredi, Baadshah, Arya 2, Stalin)
Catalogues change; check the platform before you plan to watch.
Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Tollywood Desk’s film, release and OTT records.
Career on file
Mukesh Rishi appears in 68 Telugu films on file at Tollywood Desk, dated from 1994 to 2026. The earliest of them is Gandeevam (1994), and the most recent release is Itllu Arjuna (2026). The most widely covered of these, counted by Wikipedia language editions, are Arya 2 (2009), Simhadri (2003) and Sye Raa Narasimha Reddy (2019). Other recent releases on file are Kannappa (2025), Viswam (2024) and Buddy (2024).
Brahmanandam is the most frequent co-star, sharing 28 films with Mukesh Rishi, followed by Kota Srinivasa Rao (12) and Kajal Aggarwal (9). Among directors, B. Gopal and Srinu Vaitla each cast Mukesh Rishi in four films, more than any other director; next are Jayanth C. Paranjee (3) and YVS Chowdary (2). Devi Sri Prasad and S. Thaman each scored 13 of them, more than any other music director; next are Mani Sharma (11) and M. M. Keeravani (5). Sri Venkateswara Creations produced five of them, more than any other banner on file. Across these films the credits on file name 52 different directors, 26 music directors and 173 other credited actors.
Runtime is on file for 62 of them; they average 158 minutes, and the longest is Lakshmi Narasimha at 185 minutes. 20 of them have a streaming (OTT) release noted on the site. By decade the list splits into 1990s (1), 2000s (26), 2010s (33) and 2020s (8). 2015 is the busiest single year, with six films.
Figures come from the films on file at Tollywood Desk and change as records are added.