Now meet Ashish Vidyarthi, the storyteller

Ashish, who has acted successful implicit 300 films successful 11 languages, won the National Film Award for ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Drohkaal (1994) and cemented his spot successful the satellite of cinema with 1942: A Love Story, Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin and Vaastav. In Tamil and Kannada films too, his interaction has been formidable arsenic Dadua in AK-47 and Nagalingam in Ezhumalai, reminders of his quality to represent menace with ease. But Ashish’s beingness is not restricted to cinema. He has been perpetually seeking caller ways to connect, communicate, and reinvent.

At the bosom of his reinvention is Kahanibaaz, an anthology of stories drawn from his ain beingness — his childhood, days successful theatre, movie vocation and the idiosyncratic ups and downs that person shaped him. The show, which has already been staged successful respective Indian cities, volition beryllium presented successful Bengaluru connected April 11 astatine Kala Kompound; connected May 9 astatine Arena - The Art Experience, Chennai and May 10 astatine Samarthanam Auditorium, Bengaluru. During a telephone interview, the multifaceted artiste speaks astir his latest passionateness — storytelling.

Ashish calls it therapeutic due to the fact that successful times marked with choler and division, helium wants to punctual audiences of the gentleness wrong america each — memories, desires and joys that marque beingness meaningful. His shows determination radical to laughter, tears, and reflection, helium says. “They normalise defeat, observe resilience, and punctual audiences that setbacks are not anomalies but portion of the journey,” says Ashish, who besides adds that his stories resonate crossed age, gender, and geography. “People archer maine it feels arsenic if I americium talking astir their life.” This connection, helium says, is special.

Kahanibaaz, says Ashish, feels much intimate compared to acting. “When I act, I inhabit the character’s world. But erstwhile I narrate, I bare my ain experiences and emotions,” helium says, adding that Kahanibaaz grew retired of this impulse — to determination from scripted roles into impromptu narratives that bespeak the mundane challenges and celebrations. He explains that the amusement is astir sharing those lived moments with honesty. This shift, helium adds, has allowed him to link with audiences successful a much idiosyncratic manner.

But Kahanibaaz is lone 1 facet of his originative persona. Two years ago, “almost connected a lark”, Ashish stepped into the satellite of stand-up comedy. He blends humour with storytelling, poking amusive astatine life’s absurdities and himself.

He besides has his nutrient and question vlogs, which person earned him a devoted pursuing online. From Kolkata’s biryani joints to hidden gems successful Palakkad, Ashish explores India’s culinary scenery with an infectious enthusiasm. For him, nutrient is not conscionable astir sensation — it is astir people, culture, and appreciation. He celebrates the simple, authentic mundane menus connected the thoroughfare and successful homes. “When we tin admit what is astir us, our beingness becomes amazing,” helium says.

Ashish encourages radical to research facets of themselves beyond their profession. “By 40, galore consciousness trapped and by 50, it becomes a resignation. But beingness is abundant, it allows america antithetic opportunities. It is up to america if we privation to research them. Rather than waiting to go a millionaire, commencement enjoying beingness arsenic it unfolds,” says the actor, who is besides a motivational speaker.

He resists generalisations astir careers, institutions oregon opportunities. Whether it is the National School of Drama (his alma mater), FTII oregon the emergence of OTT platforms, helium insists that nary 2 journeys are alike. “Each 1 of america travels our ain path, successful our ain unsocial way,” helium says. He besides believes the “OTT is simply a boon not conscionable for actors but for directors, writers, producers and technicians — due to the fact that it widens the pyramid of opportunity.”

He holds each spot his vocation has taken him to adjacent to his heart. “The assemblage everyplace accepted maine arsenic 1 of theirs.” His memories of these cities find their mode into his stories, and with Kahanibaaz present boasting “over 225 stories” that helium “rotates crossed shows”.

Despite this, Ashish remains committed to acting too. He bristles astatine being offered “special roles” and insists connected central, stellar parts. “I person decided that I americium not giving myself immoderate much earthy deals. We each are waiting for astonishing things to happen. But what you bash portion you are waiting volition find your life.”