Kishore, who has worked on many character roles in the South Indian industry, has the ability to shine through every character. Known for his films in Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu cinema, Kishore is now all set to make his mark in Bollywood. In the highly anticipated film Sikandar, slated for an Eid release, the actor is facing off against Salman Khan.
Directed by AR Murugadoss and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Sikandar features an ensemble cast, including Rashmika Mandanna as the heroine and Satyaraj as the villain. Kishore plays a pivotal role as Inspector Prakash, a character that stands in stark contrast to Salman’s larger-than-life persona on screen. Known for his ability to slip into various roles, whether as an antagonist, main lead, or key character, Kishore is both excited and humbled by this opportunity. "It’s a small role, and I have my screen space with Salman and Satyaraj, but it was a good experience to work on such a big canvas," he says.
Though Sikandar marks his Bollywood debut, Kishore mentioned that a couple of Hindi projects are in the works but are yet to release. "I have worked alongside Nawazuddin Siddiqui in a film that's currently in post-production, and I have another project, Red Collar, set to release soon." As he embraces Hindi cinema, Kishore admits his journey across Indian languages has been an enriching one. "I haven’t ventured into Marathi cinema yet," he shares.
Even as he steps into the massive world of Bollywood, Kishore feels a deep sense of comfort. "There were so many people on set, and I completely understand how many people Salman must meet every day. But he has a way of making everyone feel at ease," Kishore says. "When I was introduced to him, he made sure we were comfortable right away."
Kishore has always managed to carve out a space for himself wherever he goes, and Bollywood is no different. "Irrespective of where I am, I make a comfortable place for myself," he says, attributing his ease on set to the presence of fellow South Indian filmmakers, including Murugadoss. "There were also a few people from Karnataka working on the film, and an RJ, whom I had interacted with for an interview, was also part of the project. I felt comfortable. I knew Rashmika from Kirik Party, and we had a few conversations," he recalls.
For Kishore, one of the most striking aspects of working on Sikandar was the sheer scale of the Bollywood production. Kishore tells us particularly about a moment during the climax shoot. "I saw around 42 caravans lined up," he says, adding, "I was thinking to myself, the investment that goes into these caravans alone could fund an entire film. The scale of it all, the number of people involved—it's just massive. It gave me a deep understanding of why Bollywood operates the way it does," he says.