The antagonists in Indian cinema—especially in the late 90s—have been nothing short of intimidating. Among the actors who have left an indelible mark with their villainous roles during the time, the two names that stand out are of Ashutosh Rana and Ashish Vidyarthi—the latter is best known for playing the menacing Vitthal Kanya in the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Vaastav: The Reality (1999). Earlier, Vidyarthi was usually identified as an actor who aces negative roles. However, he broke this stereotype as he explored various facets of his life—he is now a motivational speaker and a travel vlogger.
In this edition of The Morning Standard’s ‘City on my Mind’ column, the 60-year-old Vidyarthi, who hails from Delhi, shares snippets of his growing up years in Delhi, what the city has taught him, and more.
A diverse actor
Vidyarthi’s parents—his mother was a Kathak exponent while his father worked at Sangeet Natak Akademi—instilled in him a deep appreciation for the richness and diversity of Indian culture and performing arts. “For me, being around ma [his mother] who used to teach Kathak, definitely added to my sensibilities. In fact, not just ma, but also baba [his father], who made us attend many events and performances. This is where I got in touch with performing arts from all over the country. It definitely played a subliminal role in my life of appreciating such things [performing arts].”
After completing his education in history at Delhi University’s Hindu College, he made his debut on the silver screen with the Kannada film Anand (1986). However, it was Vidyarthi’s first Hindi film, 1942: A Love Story (1994) that pushed him into the limelight. Two years later, he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Govind Nihalani’s Drohkaal. His next is Vishal Bhardwaj’s much-awaited film Khufiya.
Ask him about his inclination towards working in diverse languages, and Vidyarthi shares, “Each of the different languages [that I have worked in] has gentle nuances that differentiate one from the other. They cannot be described; they have to be felt. The atmosphere that I grew up in was one in which my father used to respect people from across regions. I never looked at just one culture but have enjoyed the nuances of each culture. That is what has allowed me to enjoy my journey [in acting] across languages.”
The OTT space is also one where Vidyarthi has done significant work—from Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors to Trial by Fire as well as the recently released Rana Naidu and Kuttey. Giving us his take on the OTT vs cinema debate, he shares, “In OTT, the stories are told in a lengthier form—there’s the possibility of a character being better defined and, I think that helps direct the team to tell the story better. There is greater detailing in OTT and the effort is so much more than a film.”
Inspiring generations
Vidyarthi’s illustrious acting career aside, he has co-founded Avid Miner Talks—a platform that offers bespoke motivational conversations, leadership workshops, and interactive modules for organisations. He also vlogs about food and travel through his YouTube channel @AshishVidyarthiActorVlogs—a page with over one million subscribers.
Ending the conversation by talking about his relationship with Delhi, Vidyarthi says, this city has provided a stepping stone to success—it is here that he learnt to fight the world. Mumbai, on the other hand, is where he was an outsider, having no reference of the city at all. Ask him his view about the city he grew up in, and Vidyarthi concludes, “Delhi has been a place that has allowed me to grow—to become that person. I came to Mumbai so I could take flight, and I will be ever grateful that I got to take off.”
Quick Four
Favourite place to hang out in Delhi: Mandi House
Favourite food: Chaat and Aloo Tikki at Nathu’s Sweets, Bengali Market
Favourite monument in Delhi: Lal Qila
A lesson the city has taught me: Flaunting connections is something which I saw (in Delhi), and I said that is not a person I will become. Showing off connections does not inspire me, and I am happy that I am not like that.