Ravi Kishan, the superstar of Bhojpuri cinema, made a niche of his own in the Hindi film industry. Kiran Rao's Laapataa Ladies (2023) put the spotlight back on Ravi Kishan's potential and range, owning a rustic character in its real colour. During his recent appearance on Raj Shamani Podcast, Ravi Kishan looked back at his days of extreme poverty and shared how he overcame those hurdles.
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Ravi Kishan shared that his fans and followers get motivated from stories of his relentless struggles.
"I have seen a lot of poverty. I saw so much poverty that I was disgusted by it. I grew up seeing as many as 12 people (his family) eating the same Khichdi that contained only a little bit of rice and so much water. We all slept in a 10×12 room, sometimes even on top of each other.
"Even the toilet was situated outside the house. I was extremely poor and was fed up with poverty as well as the taunts. I did not want to hear my father being ridiculed any more," recalled the actor.
When asked if things would have been different for him had he belonged to another caste, the superstar asserted his willpower.
"Ravi Kishan would have been Ravi Kishan no matter which caste he belonged to. This is because I was blessed by Lord Shiva. And I didn't want to die an anonymous man. Once I decided that I didn't want to die unknown, I was ready to do whatever it took. What's the benefit of you coming to earth if even your neighbour doesn't know that you passed away? You are not here to just make children or buy a bungalow. Recognition is what matters, and money will follow. Name or price? Name! Once you attain a name, everything will come running after you," he shared his philosophy of life.
During the same interview, Ravi Kishan said how he keeps himself fit and healthy to take on life's new challenges.
"Go to gym every day. If you don't have money to join a gym, go for a run every day on the road. Run for at least 3-5 km. Hit 200 pushups. Soak chana in water overnight, and the next morning, drink the water and eat the soaked chana. Even if you are poor, you get these things for free from the government; make use of them. At least, wake up before sunrise and exercise daily. Watch sunrise every day, and that itself will bring about all the changes," he said.
Ravi Kishan's Films
Actor-turned-politican Ravi Kishan made his debut with the 1992 film Pitambar with Mithun Chakraborty. In recent times, he was seen in films like Mission Raniganj, Singham Again, Daaku Maharaaj. He will also be seen in Son of Sardaar 2 with Sanjay Dutt and Ajay Devgn.