The film industry doesn't guarantee instant success to anyone, whether one comes from an industry background or is an outsider. We often see that newcomers who want to pursue acting or make their career in the film industry begin their journey by taking up small roles while managing side jobs to support themselves or their families, especially if they live alone so that they can dedicate time to auditions, training, and theatre.
These newcomers join acting schools or theatre academies to learn skills. However, Bollywood has seen several actors who not only proved themselves with their talent on-screen but also completed their education as a backup plan in case they couldn't succeed in the film industry.
But not everyone comes from a small background or survives on small roles in their early days; some of them give up well-paying careers to chase their dreams. Today, we are going to tell you about one such actor who left his reputed job in New York to enter into entertainment world. He has now become a household name. Read further to find out who this actor is.
Who is this actor?
The actor is none other than Riteish Deshmukh, who was recently seen in the comedy thriller film 'Housefull 5' alongside Akshay Kumar, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Nana Patekar, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff and others in the lead roles. The film hit the silver screens worldwide on June 6, 2025. It is the fifth instalment of the hit comedy franchise 'Housefull', produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Tarun Mansukhani.
Worked in New York City in an architectural firm
Riteish is an Indian actor, producer, and architect by profession. But not many people know that 'The Villain' actor left his architectural job in New York just to pursue acting. Born on December 17, 1978, in Maharashtra, Riteish is the son of the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. After completing his graduation in architecture from Kamla Raheja Vidyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies, he went abroad to practice with a firm. However, during that time, he was also studying acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
His debut film
The 46-year-old actor made his acting debut with the romantic drama film 'Tujhe Meri Kasam' in 2003 alongside actor and his wife Genelia Deshmukh and Shakti Kapoor in the lead roles. The film was directed by Vijay K Bhaskar and written by Kamal and Neeraj Vora. The film was well-received by the audience, it has an IMDb rating of 6.2.
Riteish Deshmukh's famous films
In his acting career so far, he has featured in several critically acclaimed films, including 'Ved', 'The Villain', for which he even got a nomination for the Filmfare Award in the 'Best Supporting Role' category. He is also best known for films like 'Housefull' and 'Housefull 2'.
Talking about his upcoming films, he will be next seen in his directorial film 'Raja Shivaji' where he is playing the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji. The biographical drama features Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, Genelia Deshmukh, Fardeen Khan, Mahesh Manjrekar, Sachin Khedekar and Bhagyashree Patwardhan in pivotal roles. The film is set to be released on May 1, 2026.