Ashish Vidyarthi
Born 19 June 1962 (1962-06-19) (age 48)
Tellicherry, Kerala
Occupation Film actor
Years active 1993- Present

Ashish Vidyarthi (Hindi:) (Malayalam: ആശിഷ് വിദ്യാര്‍ഥി) (born 19 June 1962) is a National Film Award-winning actor in India. He won the Best Supporting Actor for film Drohkaal in 1995, who has worked in all the regional film industries.

Even though he typically acts in Hindi movies, he has also acted in several South Indian hit films, including 'AK 47', Aa Dinagalu, Jothegara in Kannada,Ghilli in Tamil, CID Moosa in Malayalam, Pokiri in Telugu and Bombaiyer Bombete in Bengali. He played a major role in the Zee TV serial Vaaris.

Early life
He was born in Tellicherry, Kerala, in 1962 to Reba Vidyarthi, a renowned Kathak dancer and Govind Vidyarthi, his father, a Malayali theater personality.

Vidyarthi moved to Delhi in 1969 and joined the Delhi Public School, where he won acclaim for his performances as an actor in both dramatic and comedic roles. He passed his Class XII exams in 1980, after which he attended S.V. College and earned a B.A in History.

He began acting in minor roles and got his break in an S. V. Paranjpe serial. He went on to act in a number of minor serials in regional languages and in appeared in Ghutan, a major Hindi serial in the 1990s.


Career
Vidyarthi's film career began with a supporting role in the Kannada Film Anand with Shivraj Kumar. Later, he starred with Suresh Gopi in Hijack (1991). His break in Hindi films came with Naajayaaz and Baazi. He soon began appearing as atypical (by Bollywood standards) villains, spewing vitrolic dialogue rather than as the "classy" Pankaj Kapur-type villains who were becoming the norm. As a result most of his films were not top of the line and were more of standard commercial masala fare. He did have some hits like Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. He also acted in supporting roles in some films such as Ek Rishta or a comic villain in Jodi No.1 and Haseena Maan Jayegi.

As the film industry dried up in Mumbai, Vidyarthi received offers from South India. His role as 'Dawood' in Kannada movie 'AK 47' along with Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar and another bollywood actor Om Puri is very memorable. He then appeared as a villain in films such as CID Moosa with Malayali superstar Dileep, Baba as Ippo Ramasami with Rajnikanth, Ghilli and Azhagiya Tamil Magan with Joseph Vijay, Pokiri and Athidhi in Telugu with Mahesh Babu.

He has acted in a TV serial Vaaris as an autocratic father. He played a strong character (naxalite leader) named guruji in Bhagyavidhaata in Colors.

He got married to actress Rajoshi and has a son Arth. Actress Rajoshi is the daughter of yesteryear actress Shakuntala Barua.

Awards

Won

* 1995: National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor: Drohkaal
* 1996: Bengal Film Journalists' Association - Best Actor Award (Hindi): Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin
* 1997: Star Screen Award for Best Villain: Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin 2

Nominated

* 1996: Filmfare Best Villain Award for Drohkaal
* 1997: Filmfare Best Villain Award: Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin