Ashish Vidyarthi's journey in the acting industry began with playing lovable villains in Bollywood, and today, he has successfully fulfilled his lifelong ambition of becoming a YouTuber, public speaker, and explorer. With over 300 movies in 11 languages, he is a well-known figure in the media.
Early Life and Education
Ashish Vidyarthi attended Mehta Vidyalaya, part of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, and later graduated with a Bachelor's degree in history from Hindu College in Delhi.
Career
Vidyarthi made his debut in the movie industry with the Kannada film Anand (1986). He then attended the National Academy of Theatre from 1987 to 1990. He starred in the Kannada movie Hijack (1991) and later in the movie Sardar (1993),based on the life of Sardar Vallabhai Patel.
Debut in Hindi Film Industry
Vidyarthi debuted in the Hindi film industry with the movie Droh Kaal (1994),which earned him a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor the following year. He also appeared in Naajayaz (1995) with Ajay Devgn, Naseeruddin Shah, and Juhi Chawla.
Notable Films
Some of his notable films include 1942: A Love Story (1994),Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996),Mrityudaata (1997),Soldier (1998),Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999),Vaastav: The Reality (1999),and Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000).
International Films
Vidyarthi was part of the film Nightfall (2000),which was shot in Hollywood and directed by Gwyneth Gibby.
Regional Films
He has also appeared in many regional films, including Ezhumalai (2002),Pokiri (2006),Kuruvi (2008),Adhurs (2010),and Awara (2012).
Recent Work
In recent years, Vidyarthi has lent his voice to the role of Scar in the Hindi version of The Lion King (2019). He has also acted in the films iSmart Shankar (2019),Oru Adaar Love (2019),Uriyattu (2020),and Writer Padmabhushan (2023).
Awards and Accolades
Vidyarthi has received various accolades and awards, including the Star Screen Award for Best Villain and the Best Actor Award from the Bengali Journalists' Association for his movie Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996).
Other Ventures
Apart from acting, Vidyarthi has also honed his skills as a motivational speaker, delivering ignite lectures and customised transformational workshops to young professionals at over 200 organisations worldwide.