Ashish Vidyarthi: I really want to play a detective

Key points

• While others seem to carry a little bit of every character they have played with them, some actors leave an…
• What excites you most about bringing Kahanibaaz to Hyderabad?.
• What has your connection with audiences on social media taught you about yourself?.
• What is fascinating about social media is that each one of us has numerous layers and many facets.

While others seem to carry a little bit of every character they have played with them, some actors leave an impression with a role. National Award-winning actor Ashish Vidyarthi, known for films such as Pokiri, Dhill, 1942: A Love Story, Soldier, and Vedaa, belongs to the latter. While also discovering a side of himself beyond the screen, over the years, he has moved effortlessly between languages and genres. His recent visit to Hyderabad for Kahanibaaz brought him back to a city he has long been fond of; this time as a storyteller sharing stories, experiences, and little observations from life. In conversation with CE, the actor talks concerning Hyderabad, Kahanibaaz, and more.

Excerpts

How does it feel to return to Hyderabad?

I just love Hyderabad. I’ve spent years working in many Telugu films. It’s always dear and close to me. My favourite memory has been when I came to film here for Pokiri. An auto-rickshaw driver, Venkat Naidu, took me around Hyderabad for the day and showed me different places. When we passed Hussainsagar, he showed me the Buddha Statue. I remember watching a Telugu film with him, having my first taste of Hyderabadi Biryani, and being dropped back at my hotel.

What happened

What excites you most about bringing Kahanibaaz to Hyderabad?

For me, I connect with audiences in different places. With Kahanibaaz, I wanted to connect with them as a storyteller. They’re not watching, but participating in something. I have about 250 plus stories. I plan to do some new stories in every city I travel to. I select seven to eight of them for each show.

What role has secretly changed you as a person?

It’s Pokiri. A whole lot of that role was improvised. Working with director Puri Jagannadh was very creatively liberating as he gave me a lot of freedom to improvise. I lost that fear that even though I don’t know the language, I can improvise the scene and do a better job. I really owe that to director Puri.

The details

What has your connection with audiences on social media taught you about yourself?

It’s extraordinary. What is fascinating about social media is that each one of us has numerous layers and many facets. Social media allowed me to express myself through these many facets and reach my audience differently over the last 15 years. People who had earlier just seen me in films, mostly as a villain, now see me eating food, travelling, telling stories, and sharing emotional stories. As an actor, I’m limited to the roles that filmmakers have given me, but social media has allowed me to show the many other facets of who I am beyond the characters I play.

How do you deal with negativity and trolls on social media?

I don’t read the comments. I’m just sharing something that I wish to share. I don’t review food; I appreciate food. But I will not show you a broken road or any accident because I don’t want to show that. I want to show that people continue in spite of everything happening. There are enough people to show the other side. I am a believer that very few residents do more. Another thing that I keep looking at is the extraordinary in the ordinary, and I love those moments. My entire take on life is that I will show things that excite me.

Why it matters

What does success mean to you today, and how has your definition of it changed over the years?

Today I am known and I’m grateful. Earlier, I was working to be known. I’m really living my life now the way I wish to live. I do things, meet people, and travel to places that I wish to. That is the interesting part.

Is there a genre or character you still want to explore?

I want to play a detective. I want to play a lead role, and have been waiting for it for a very long time. Sometimes people ask, ‘Ashish, what are you doing while you’re waiting?’ The things you see me doing, whether it’s a YouTube video, stand-up comedy, or touring with Kahanibaaz, are what I’m doing while I’m waiting. I love being somebody who is not just sitting idle, but doing something while I’m waiting.

Background

One message for your fans.

Appreciate the things around you. Don’t just go after stars; look at people in your family as they’re amazing people inside and around you. Appreciate the work of the wonderful world of acting, cricket, and everything else, but don’t let the stars run your life. You should be inspired by yourself. Remember, you have got to be so good that residents remember you. Create something of your own and let your work be remembered.