Ravi Kishan

Ravi Kishan Biography

Ravindra Kishan Shukla (born 17 July 1969), known as Ravi Kishan, is an Indian actor, film producer, television personality and politician. He has appeared in more than 200 films, predominantly in Bhojpuri and Hindi cinema as well as in Telugu and Kannada films, and has been the Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament for Gorakhpur since 2019.

Kishan was born in Bombay and is the youngest of five siblings; his family comes from Kerakat in Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh, where he lived for about seven years. He studied up to the 12th standard at Rizvi College, Bandra West, Mumbai. He married Preeti Shukla on 10 December 1993 and they have four children — one son and three daughters. His daughter Ishita, a former NCC cadet, joined the Indian Army in June 2023.

He began with supporting roles in Hindi films from Pitambar (1992) and drew wider attention with Tere Naam (2003), then moved into Bhojpuri cinema, where Saiyaan Hamar (2003) established him as a leading man. He was the second runner-up on the first season of Bigg Boss in 2006–07 and later hosted Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka. In 2024 he played Sub-Inspector Shyam Manohar in Laapataa Ladies, a performance that won him both the Filmfare Award and the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor. He joined the Indian National Congress in 2014 and the BJP in February 2017, winning Gorakhpur in 2019 and again in 2024.

Basic Details

• Full Name: Ravindra Kishan Shukla
• Stage Name: Ravi Kishan
• Date of Birth: 17 July 1969
• Birthplace: Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India
• Family Origin: Kerakat, Jaunpur district, Uttar Pradesh
• Nationality: Indian
• Profession: Actor, film producer, television personality, politician
• Years Active: 1992 – present
• Languages on Screen: Bhojpuri, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Marathi
• Hindi Debut: Pitambar (1992)
• Bhojpuri Debut: Saiyaan Hamar (2003)
• Spouse: Preeti Shukla (married 10 December 1993)
• Children: Four — one son and three daughters
• Political Affiliation: Bharatiya Janata Party (since 2017); Indian National Congress (2014–2017)
• Constituency: Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh (MP since 2019)

Career Highlights

Television and Reality Shows

• Jai Hanuman (1999) as Krishna; Vishnu Puran (2000) as Sudhanv; Khauff (2000), episodic role
• Bigg Boss season 1 (2006–07) — second runner-up
• Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka (2009–10) — host, seasons 1–2
• Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5 (2012) — contestant, 10th place

Awards and Recognition

• Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor — Laapataa Ladies (2024), presented at the 70th Filmfare Awards
• IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor — Laapataa Ladies, at the 25th IIFA Awards in 2025
• Sansad Ratna award (2025) for his parliamentary performance
• Most Popular Actor, ETV Bhojpuri Cinema Samman (June 2008)