Ravi Kishan
Ravindra Shyamnarayan Shukla (Ravi Kishan) is an Indian actor, film producer, and politician. He represents the Bharatiya Janata Party as a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) from Gorakhpur. He is renowned for playing a variety of roles in Indian cinema and has appeared in Bhojpuri, Hindi, and Telugu films. His contribution to parliamentary work earned him the Sansad Ratna Award in 2025.
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| Ravi Kishan in 2025 | |
| Born | 17 July 1969 (age 56) Bombay, Maharashtra, India (now Mumbai) |
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| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation | Actor, Politician, Film Producer, Television Personality |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Known for | Acting in Bhojpuri and Hindi cinema; Member of Parliament from Gorakhpur |
| Notable works | Laapataa Ladies, Jala Debh Duniya Tohra Pyar Mein, Race Gurram |
| Awards | Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor, Sansad Ratna Award 2025 |
| Spouse(s) | Priti Shukla (m. 1993) |
| Parents | Shyam Narayan Shukla (father),
Dhaneshwar Shukla (mother) |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Website | See below |
Early Life & Education
Ravi Kishan was born on 17 July 1969 in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India. He was the youngest of five siblings. He spent roughly seven years living in Kerakat, which is in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, where his family is originally from. He attended Rizvi College in Bandra West, Mumbai, until he completed class 12.
Career
Film Career
Early in the 1990s, Ravi Kishan started acting and became well-known thanks to Bhojpuri movies. After competing in the reality show Bigg Boss (2006) and finishing as the second runner-up, he gained widespread recognition.
Later, he hosted TV programs like Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka on NDTV Imagine and starred in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5 (2012). The Cannes Film Festival screened his Bhojpuri film, Jala Debh Duniya Tohra Pyar Mein, in 2010.
Race Gurram (2014) marked his Telugu debut, followed by Hebbuli (2017) in Kannada and Monisha En Monalisa (1999) in Tamil. His performance in Laapataa Ladies (2023) earned him the Best Supporting Actor Filmfare and IIFA Awards.
Political Career
Ravi Kishan entered politics in 2014 by joining the Indian National Congress, contesting from Jaunpur in the general elections. In 2017, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and contested from Gorakhpur in the 2019 general elections, winning with a margin of over 3 lakh votes. He was re-elected in 2024, defeating Kajal Nishad of the Samajwadi Party by over one lakh votes.
Achievements and Recognition
Over his career, Ravi Kishan has won numerous accolades. He received the Sansad Ratna Award in 2025 in recognition of his exceptional performance in his parliamentary duties. His performance in Laapataa Ladies earned him both the Filmfare Award and the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor. In recognition of his increasing impact on Bhojpuri cinema and Indian entertainment, he was named the Most Popular Actor at the ETV Bhojpuri Cinema Samman earlier in 2008.
Notable Works
Ravi Kishan has starred in a number of critically acclaimed multilingual films over the years. Among his well-known pieces are Hebbuli (2017), Race Gurram (2014), Jala Debh Duniya Tohra Pyar Mein (2010), and Laapataa Ladies (2023). Additionally, he produced the 2020 movie Sab Kushal Mangal, which starred his daughter Riva Kishan. These projects highlight his versatility as both an actor and producer in the Indian film industry.
Personal Life
On December 10, 1993, Ravi Kishan wed "Priti Shukla." Three daughters and a son make up the couple's four children. Riva Kishan, his daughter, debuted as an actress in Sab Kushal Mangal (2020). In 2023, Ishita, another daughter, enlisted in the Indian Army as an NCC cadet.