Rishabh Shetty biography
The Early Life and Struggles of Rishab Shetty
Rishab Shetty was born in 1983 in a small village called Keradi in Kundapura taluk. He was the third child of his parents, having an elder brother and an elder sister. Being the youngest, he was very mischievous. Unable to tolerate his antics, his sister and father would often beat him; he frequently received “stick treatment” from his sister for his pranks. His father, who practiced astrology, spent most of his time in Bangalore.
Rishab completed his schooling in Kundapura. Interestingly, from the 6th grade onwards, he had a peculiar streak—while others passed, he often failed. Once, thinking he had passed, he even distributed chocolates to everyone and lied to his family. He only realized the truth when his teacher asked him to sit in the 5th-grade classroom again. When his father found out, he was punished severely.
During his school days, he fell in love with a girl named Ratnavathi. She was very beautiful, but there was another reason he liked her: his mother’s name was also Ratnavathi.
The Struggling Years in Bangalore
Rishab’s family was not wealthy. He used to wear the same clothes throughout the year, sometimes even tearing them himself just to get new ones. After school, he joined PU (Pre-University), but his behavior didn’t change—he spent his time wandering and getting into fights with other boys. Fearing that his son was ruining his life, his father sent him to Bangalore, where he completed his B.Com degree.
In college, he excelled in Wrestling and Judo, winning first place. However, his heart was set on cinema. Since childhood, he dreamt of entering the film industry. In his village, people always spoke highly of Director Upendra, calling him a legend. Inspired by this, Rishab used to watch film reels of Upendra’s movies like A and Om, aspiring to become a director like him.
After graduation, he hunted for opportunities but only managed to find work as a clap boy. His father wanted him to become a police officer, but Rishab refused, saying, “If I become a cop, I might become greedy for bribes. I’d rather join the military.”
Hardships and the Turning Point
Rishab faced many humiliations in the industry. Once, a director even hit him on the head in front of everyone on set. This incident sparked a fire in him to stay in the industry and become a hero. Although he signed several films as a lead, they were all shelved midway.
Financial struggles were immense. At one point, after working for a year on a film, he earned only 1,500 rupees. To survive in Bangalore, he worked as a:
Water can supplier (door-to-door)
Driver
Hotel worker
Light bulb salesman
When films didn’t seem to work out, he took a 25 lakh rupee loan to start a hotel business. Unfortunately, it failed within three months, and he lost everything. People mocked him, saying he ruined himself for cinema. He even had to take loans from relatives at high interest rates just to pay off other debts.
From Prashanth to Rishab: The Rise of a Star
His birth name was Prashanth Shetty. Wanting a change, he consulted his father (an astrology expert), who suggested a name starting with the letter ‘R’, similar to legends like Rajkumar and Rajinikanth. Thus, he became Rishab Shetty.
In 2010, he landed a small role in Nam Areal Ond Dina, followed by a role in Rakshit Shetty’s Tughlaq. Initially, he thought Rakshit was a rich “chocolate boy” because of his looks. Soon, they became close friends. In 2016, Rishab directed “Ricky” starring Rakshit, but it wasn’t a big hit. However, later that year, he directed “Kirik Party”, which became a blockbuster hit.
During the release of Ricky, he met Pragathi at a theater. They connected on Facebook and eventually got married. They now have two children.
His career soared when he acted as the lead in Bell Bottom. Finally, he wrote, directed, and starred in “Kantara”, which became a global phenomenon, making him a national star. The film grossed over 600 crore rupees at the box office. Through immense hard work and perseverance, Rishab Shetty rose from a village boy to a legendary superstar.
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