Latest news with #Vidyarthi
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Ashish Vidyarthi recalls how a filmmaker discussed dates with him at Mukul Anand's prayer meet: ‘Everyone was wearing dark sunglasses'
Ashish Vidyarthi, a graduate of the National School of Drama in Delhi, moved to Mumbai in 1992 in order to pursue a career in Hindi films. He had already appeared in memorable movies like Ketan Mehta's 1993 period political drama Sardar, Govind Nihalani's 1994 action drama Drohkaal, Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 1994 romantic film 1942: A Love Story, and Sudhir Mishra's 1996 thriller Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin. But he was still getting used to the ways of Mumbai, particularly the Hindi film industry. He recently recalled his first experience at a prayer meeting in Mumbai after the death of filmmaker Mukul S Anand, who was directing the actor in Dus, a film starring Salman Khan, Sanjay Dutt, and Raveena Tandon, which never saw the light of day. 'We'd gone to Utah to shoot. It was the first time I'd gone to the US. We came back, and he died,' said Vidyarthi. On Cyrus Broacha's podcast Cyrus Says, Vidyarthi vividly recollected his experience at the prayer meet. 'I was a beginner, a novice in the film industry. I'd never been to a prayer meeting in Mumbai. The first time I land up, everybody's wearing white, with dark sunglasses. I never had white clothes. I felt so out of place because I was the only one in colour.' If the proceedings were already not awkward enough, they turned even more so for Vidyarthi as he made his exit. 'When I was stepping out, and I'm feeling very bad, so I've folded my hands and lowered my head. Then this gentleman touches me on the elbow and says (in a measured voice), 'Very sorry. Next week dates ki baat karte hain (let's discuss dates next week),'' recalled Vidyarthi. He then remembered responding to him with the same gesture of folded hands and lowered head. 'After stepping out, I wondered what's happening,' he said, adding, 'Unless you're personally related, you don't really feel the pain. But here, you're there in a professional capacity. And you're grieving together as a profession. Everything is slow, and everyone is whispering. It's like you're in the hospital, I call you up, and you say (whispering), 'I'm in the hospital.' So I say (whispering), 'Everything okay?' I start whispering just to respect that moment.' Also Read — Sameer Nair feels Indian adaptation of The Office would do far better today: 'Market was smaller then, wanted to do 11 seasons like US' He observed another recent trend related to mourning that's taken over X (formerly Twitter). 'Nowadays, something very interesting has come up on Twitter: it's 'Om Shanti.' Like how they say RIP. And it's followed by another line: 'Gone too soon,'' Vidyarthi said, adding, 'Call it 'Om Shanti. Gone too soon,' and you're safe. If I go, people would say, 'Gone too soon. Amazing talent. Was never used by the industry. Amazing talent.' Everything is clear. I've understood it. Society, in a way, also works according to what it should look like.'
India.com
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet most dreaded villain of Bollywood who did 300 films in his career, married at 57, tried to end his life due to..., his name is...
At an age when most settle into quiet routines, a popular actor from the Indian film industry decided to take a bold step that sparked massive online chatter. Known for his shady and dark characters, he surprised everyone by announcing his wedding at 57 through a simple social media post. What followed wasn't just warm wishes, but a storm of trolling and unsolicited opinions from netizens who questioned his decision. Yet, unfazed by the digital noise, he stood firm in his choice, proving that love and companionship know no deadline. The Most Dreaded Villain Of Bollywood Here we are talking about actor Ashish Vidyarthi , who is best known for his outstanding negative performances in films, including Ziddi, Bicchoo, Joru Ka Ghulam, Bhai, Kill, Vedaa and many others. Ashish Vidyarthi was born on June 19, 1965, in Delhi, India. Vidyarthi made his acting debut in the film Sardar, portraying V. P. Menon , a character inspired by the life of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel . However, his first released film was Drohkaal , which earned him the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1995. Over the years, he has acted in more than 300 films across 11 different languages. In addition to acting, Vidyarthi runs a popular YouTube channel with over a million subscribers, where he regularly shares vlogs about food. The Challenging Life Of Ashish Vidyarthi In one of his vlogs, while discussing his struggles, Ashish stated, 'Why am I even alive? This is a question I have asked myself many times when I felt completely broken, failed, and lost. I know you must have experienced this too—those moments when you felt like giving up on life. This is very personal to me, and I feel like I can openly share this with my family on YouTube today.' He continued, 'As an actor, there are many struggles one must face to make a name in this film industry. I had my share of challenges too. Even after winning a National Award and being appreciated for my work, I soon became a caricature of myself, taking on the same roles repeatedly. It was an absolutely painful time in my life when I was only hired to do what I had done in the past.' He further expressed, 'During this time, I was at my lowest and even contemplated ending my life. Had I chosen to take that path, people might have said, 'Bollywood failed him' or 'He should have lived because he deserved better'—perhaps a couple of breaking news stories or trending hashtags.' In 2001, Ashish Vidyarthi married Piloo Vidyarthi, also known as Rajoshi , and they welcomed a son named Arth . However, in 2022, they decided to separate and filed for a mutual divorce. In 2023, at the age of 57, Vidyarthi married entrepreneur Rupali Barua . When he announced his marriage on social media, many netizens mocked him. Despite the online criticism, the couple remained unaffected and are happily married.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Counsellor arrested for duping Pune-based edu institute
Pune: The crime branch of the Pune police arrested Kunalkumar Vidyarthi, an education counsellor and a resident of Bihar, for publishing an online advertisement with the photograph of a Pune-based education institute, its webpage, and logo in an alleged admission fraud case. "Vidyarthi and his wife were in the process of boarding a flight to Thailand from Kolkata airport on May 31. We took him into custody following a tip-off and brought him to the city for further action," said senior inspector Ulhas Kadam from the crime branch's anti-narcotics cell. The police produced Vidyarthi before a magisterial court, which ordered his custodial remand till June 5. Kadam said the modus operandi of Vidyarthi involved issuing an online advertisement to lure students and promising to help them secure admission to various courses in exchange for money. When this came to the notice of the institute, its official registered an FIR relating to cheating against Vidyarthi and two others with the Deccan Gymkhana police on April 2, 2024. A police team conducted searches at suspected places in Maharashtra, Haryana and Delhi to trace Vidyarthi, but his whereabouts remained unknown as he constantly changed his hideouts to evade arrest. Kadam said, "We collected details of Vidyarthi's criminal antecedents and came to know that he is also wanted in a cheating case registered with the city cybercrime police in 2021. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo His anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the sessions court, but he did not surrender himself before the police." The officer said a lookout notice was issued to deter him from escaping the country. "We then received information that he would be flying to Thailand from Kolkata airport. We arrested him a few minutes before his boarding," he said. "We are interrogating him to find out the number of students he duped and to arrest his two accomplices who are on the run," Kadam added.
News18
04-06-2025
- General
- News18
'Free Speech Doesn't Extend...': Allahabad HC Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Remarks On Army
Last Updated: Rejecting Gandhi's plea, Justice Vidyarthi said the right to free speech does not include the freedom to make statements which are defamatory to the Indian Army The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday made a strong observation against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for his alleged derogatory remarks against the Indian Army. A single-judge bench of Justice Subhash Vidyarthi was hearing a plea filed by the Congress leader against a summoning order issued by a Lucknow court in connection with his alleged derogatory remarks against the Indian Army during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022. Rejecting Gandhi's plea, Justice Vidyarthi said the right to free speech does not include the freedom to make statements which are defamatory to any person or defamatory to the Indian Army, the Bar & Bench reported. During the hearing on Thursday, the Allahabad High Court dismissed Rahul Gandhi's petition. However, the detailed order was released on Wednesday. Gandhi had challenged the summoning order and the complaint arguing that it was motivated and lodged in a mala fide manner. During the Bharat Jodo Yatra on December 16, 2022, Gandhi said 'Chinese soldiers are beating up Indian Army personnel in Arunachal Pradesh." 'People will ask about Bharat Jodo Yatra, here and there, Ashok Gahlot and Sachin Pilot and whatnot. But they will not ask a single question about China capturing 2000 square kilometers of Indian territory, killing 20 Indian soldiers and thrashing our soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh," he had said. In his plea filed in a court in Lucknow, complainant Udai Shanker Srivastava alleged that during the December 2022 Yatra, Gandhi made several derogatory remarks about the Indian Army in the context of the conflict with Chinese soldiers. The lower court then summoned Gandhi as an accused for facing trial. Gandhi's advocate Pranshu Agarwal had argued that the allegations appeared to be fabricated just by reading the complaint. It was also argued that Gandhi is not a resident of Lucknow, so before summoning him on this complaint, the lower court should have investigated the veracity of the allegations and he should have been summoned only if the allegations were prima facie found to be fit for trial. (With PTI inputs) First Published:
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
What Changed After Pakistan ISI Got New Chief? Top Border Officer Shares Details
There has been a massive increase in the recovery of weapons and the downing of drones sent by Pakistan this year, a top official guarding the border in the northwestern state has told NDTV. This follows Pakistan's spy agency getting a new chief who had "sinister designs" against India, said AK Vidyarthi, Deputy Inspector General of the Border Security Force-Punjab, pointing to the increased sabotage activities in the border state. Punjab shares an international boundary spanning over 400 km with Pakistan and was a major front during the 1971 war. ISI's Sinister Design DIG Vidyarthi, who heads the BSF operations in Punjab, said that since Asim Malik took charge as the Pakistan ISI's chief on September 30, several changes were seen in the security dynamics in the border areas. "From November onwards, we started seeing incidents of sabotage in Punjab. Come January, we saw that the pushing of arms through drones has increased. If we compare the first three and a half months of 2024 and 2025, there was an increase of 400% in seized weapons," he said. The number of drones downed had doubled during this period, he added. Significantly, this period was followed by a ghastly terror attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The attack by Pakistan-linked terrorists had left at least 26 civilians dead. DIG Vidyarthi said that on April 21, for the first time on Punjab's soil, the BSF seized a big consignment of grenades, pistols, explosives, a remote, and batteries. Similar consignments were recovered on April 24, April 30, and even during the latest conflict. The conflict saw Pakistan targeting several cities and military bases in India with missiles and drones after the Indian forces hit nine terror bases across the border and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK). The threats were swiftly neutralised by the Indian air defence. A Strategic Location NDTV caught up with DIG Vidyarthi at a border outpost in Punjab, right opposite to Muridke in Pakistan. This is an enclave area, surrounded by Pakistan on three sides, with only one side accessible to us, he explained. "This area is very sensitive and strategically important due to its proximity to both Muridke and Lahore (in Pakistan), and Amritsar," he said. Speaking about Pakistan, DIG Vidyarthi reiterated the popular phrase, "Every country has an army, but Pakistan army has a country" - pointing to the upper hand that Pakistan's military has over their elected government. "The ISI chief had some sinister designs for India. As soon as he took over, he started peddling his nefarious resources towards destabilising India. This was evident," he said. BSF Ready For Any Aggression On the current situation between India and Pakistan and the lack of trust, he recalled how Pakistan has historically tried to cause disturbance in India. "Several of their heads of state had a military background. They are always on the lookout for how to disturb India and continue their dictatorship in Pakistan," he said. But he asserted that the BSF is ready to counter any aggression. "The BSF's border deployment has four aspects - defence system, men, weapons, and surveillance equipment. We are fully prepared on all these aspects. We are ready to neutralise any aggression. Our synergy with the Army is better than what I had previously thought," he said.
