Entertainment / Wed, 05 Aug 2026 News18

His Father Almost Killed Him For Chasing His Acting Dream, Left Home With Rs 500, Is Now Internet's Favourite

The journey from poverty and relentless struggle to becoming the internet's favourite viral star belongs to none other than Ravi Kishan. His father wanted him to focus on farming and was strongly against his dream of becoming an actor. 4 / 7 His journey in the film industry began with small roles in Hindi cinema during the early 1990s. ADVERTISEMENT5 / 7 In several interviews, Ravi has admitted that the disappointment of not making it big in Hindi cinema pushed him towards Bhojpuri films. Reflecting on his journey, Ravi once said, "I had no godfather in Bollywood.

Last Updated: August 05, 2026, 15:45 IST

1 / 7 Long before he became the internet's latest obsession, he knew what it meant to live with almost nothing. He grew up in a family that struggled to make ends meet, spent his childhood in cramped living conditions, and watched his parents battle financial hardships every single day. Dreams of becoming an actor often invited ridicule rather than encouragement, but giving up was never an option. Armed with little more than ambition, he left home, endured years of rejection, took up whatever work came his way, and slowly carved out a place for himself in an industry that rarely gives outsiders a second chance. More than three decades later, the same man is not only one of the biggest names in Bhojpuri cinema but also a successful Bollywood actor, television personality and politician. His expressions have become meme material, global brands and football clubs are joining the trend, and social media can't seem to get enough of him. The journey from poverty and relentless struggle to becoming the internet's favourite viral star belongs to none other than Ravi Kishan.

2 / 7 Ravi Kishan grew up in extreme financial hardship. He has often spoken about living in a small one-room house with a large joint family, where basic necessities were a luxury and meals were uncertain on many days. His father wanted him to focus on farming and was strongly against his dream of becoming an actor. In several interviews, Ravi recalled being ridiculed for his ambition and even facing physical punishment for participating in Ramleela performances when he was just 14 or 15. In an interview with Shubhankar Mishra, he shared, "I used to participate in Ramleela and I used to play Sita ji’s role. My father came to know about it one day. I had taken my mother’s saree. Along with a few more people, I was rehearsing my role all day. My father came to know about it and when I returned home he beat me up with a leather belt. I remember the way he whipped me, my skin had almost peeled off. It felt like he had decided to silence me that night."

3 / 7 Determined to chase his dream, he left home for Mumbai as a teenager with just five hundred rupees given to him by his mother in secret. He said in an interview, "My mother, that night, thought I’ll be killed, so she handed me Rs. 500 and said, ‘take the train and leave, or he’ll kill you. You run away.’ I was around 14-15 years old when I came to Mumbai in those situations." Looking back at those years, the actor once said, "I had nothing except my dreams. I knew that if I stayed back, I would never become an actor." That leap of faith marked the beginning of a journey that would eventually transform him into one of the biggest stars of Bhojpuri cinema and a recognised face across Indian entertainment.

4 / 7 His journey in the film industry began with small roles in Hindi cinema during the early 1990s. He made his acting debut with Pitambar (1992) and went on to appear in films such as Udhaar Ki Zindagi alongside Jeetendra and Kajol, besides sharing screen space with stars like Salman Khan, Sridevi and Dharmendra over the years. However, despite these opportunities, the breakthrough he had hoped for in Bollywood never came. With no film background or industry godfather to support him, he spent years struggling to stay afloat.

5 / 7 In several interviews, Ravi has admitted that the disappointment of not making it big in Hindi cinema pushed him towards Bhojpuri films. That decision proved to be a turning point. At a time when the Bhojpuri film industry was going through a lull, he emerged as one of its biggest stars with films like Saiyaan Hamar (2001) and Pandit Ji Batai Na Biyah Kab Hoi (2005), helping revive the industry and eventually earning the title of one of Bhojpuri cinema's most bankable superstars. Reflecting on his journey, Ravi once said, "I had no godfather in Bollywood. Making it to films was a long struggle, and surviving there was an even bigger battle."

6 / 7 Today, Ravi Kishan has successfully reinvented himself far beyond being just a film star. After establishing himself as one of the biggest names in Bhojpuri cinema, he expanded his footprint across Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and other regional industries, balancing commercial entertainers with critically acclaimed projects. He has also become a familiar face on television through reality shows, including Bigg Boss, and most recently appeared on the reality series The Alliance. Beyond entertainment, Ravi entered politics with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was elected as the Member of Parliament from Gorakhpur in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He retained the seat in the 2024 general elections, further strengthening his political standing.