Rajinikanth’s co-star spent 15 years struggling, once earned Rs 200 per day. Today, he has delivered two hits in one year

When it comes to success, nothing beats perseverance and patience. In an interview with The Better India, actor Rishikanth revealed how he remained persistent despite a 15-year struggle. His first salary was a meagre Rs 200, and there were months when he worked for just a single day. Despite being frustrated, he didn’t stop, as that would mean not earning a livelihood. In an interview with The Better India, as he had a family depending on him. “I could let myself go hungry, but I couldn’t let my family go hungry..."

Risikanth was a member of the YouTube group Temple Monkeys, and for many years he did minor roles in several films (almost 11 years). He has featured in several films, including Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal (2022), Hero (2019), Indian 2 (2024) and Coolie (2025). His screen credits also include the 2023 streaming series Mathagam. In 2024, he portrayed a prominent supporting character in Sevappi, which starred Poornima Ravi and Shravan Athvethan.

It was not until 2026 that he finally achieved his breakthrough. He became a household name overnight when his performance as Maruthanayagam, a groom, was widely appreciated by the public in the comedy Modha Rathri. The film became a sleeper hit at the box office. He gained further critical appreciation in the Netflix original film Made in Korea and the Amazon Prime Video series Local Times. His second theatrical release, Dorothy - which had his character fall in love with a trans woman- also became a major critical hit and emerged as a modest hit at the box office, earning Rs 17 crore in India.


He told TBI that he was not convinced he could carry an entire film on his shoulders for Modha Ratri, but director Raja Karuppasamy convinced him.

Rishikanth is often compared to superstar Rajinikanth, and incidentally, he also starred in the superstar’s 2025 film Coolie. He said that while he has been made aware of the similarities, he wants to be known for his own merits.

“I have continuously been made aware of similarities between Rajinikanth and me. While it feels nice to listen to it in the beginning, I would want to be known for something I did,” he told Cinema Express.