Who is Rishikanth? From Temple Monkeys to ‘Modha Rathiri’ and ‘Dorothy’, the 15

Rishikanth is one of the emerging faces in Tamil cinema who has taken a long and unconventional route to becoming a lead actor. Unlike many actors who enter the entertainment industry through established film connections, he started from scratch by creating comedy sketches online before gradually finding a footing in films. He went on to appear in several movies and digital projects, gaining experience through smaller roles before landing his breakthrough.Rishikanth reveals how 15 years of struggle shaped his acting careerIt took Rishikanth nearly 15 years to transition from creating online content to becoming a lead actor. He started his career with the YouTube comedy group Temple Monkeys and gradually entered Tamil cinema with roles in films such as ‘Irumbu Thirai’, ‘Hero’ and ‘Rocky’.“Maybe, if I was from Chennai and I had more connects in this industry, I would have grown sooner. But because I am not from Chennai, it took me 15 years to grow properly,” he said in a chat with Gulf News.However, the actor does not consider those years wasted. He believes every setback helped him understand what he needed to improve and allowed him to grow as a performer. His later credits include ‘Mathagam’, ‘Indian 2’, ‘Neymar’, ‘Rasavathi’ and ‘Coolie’, giving him opportunities to explore different genres and work alongside established names.‘Modha Rathiri’ turns Rishikanth into a social media talking pointA major turning point in Rishikanth’s career came with ‘Modha Rathiri’, in which he played Maruthu, marking his first leading role. Directed by Raja Karuppasamy, the film centres on a rural drama involving marriage, family pressure and social customs.Released in theatres on August 21, ‘Modha Rathiri’ later began streaming on Netflix in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi on September 18.The film’s reception has brought Rishikanth considerable attention on social media, with viewers praising his performance and highlighting his screen presence. Actor Dhanush also publicly praised the film during its theatrical run, adding to the conversation surrounding the project and its lead actor.‘Dorothy’ gives Rishikanth another major opportunity after ‘Modha Rathiri’Rishikanth is now following ‘Modha Rathiri’ with another significant release, ‘Dorothy’. Written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, the film stars Rishikanth alongside Keerthy Suresh and Sananth and is scheduled to release in theatres on September 25.The film had its world premiere in the Centrepiece section at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of its Indian theatrical release.Set against themes of caste, violence and prejudice, ‘Dorothy’ explores a friendship tested by a deeply divided society. With ‘Modha Rathiri’ bringing him into the spotlight and ‘Dorothy’ arriving soon after, Rishikanth is entering a new phase of his acting career.After spending years building his career through supporting and smaller roles, the actor is now taking centre stage in lead characters. For Rishikanth, whose journey began with online comedy sketches and continued through a series of smaller film roles, the transition marks an important new chapter after 15 years of persistence in Tamil cinema.Get the latest Bollywood & Entertainment News, and more. Download the TOI app.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!