Ashish Vidyarthi on transforming pain into humour with his standup comedy act 'Sit Down Ashish'

If you grew up in the 90s watching films, then even before you knew about Indian actor Ashish Vidyarthi, his mere presence on screen in many films, popularly Hindi language, would send shivers down your spine as he was the classic villain. However, he is nothing like that in real life. In fact, he has a funny bone that many may not know about. We all know about his love for acting and that needs no introduction with his many movies. But Vidyarthi is so much more than that. More recently, he showed people his love for food and even motivational talks but it seems the comedy bug bit him long before any of us knew about it.

It is this very side of him that he brings to the stage as a standup comedian with ‘Sit Down, Ashish' when performing this Saturday on May 25 at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai. The actor is the second monthly act in their comedy series with The Entertainment Factory, after comedian Anuvab Pal in April. He shares, "It's a great feeling to do something that people do not expect you to do. I've been known over the years, over my 300 plus films across 11 languages to be primarily the bad guy who makes a living out of shooting and killing people. So, I said enough is enough. Let me take matters in my own hands and let me tickle myself first. If I can get a few stories that I want to tell, and if I can tell them in a way that people find funny, uh, why not? So that's how, uh, the material got prepared."

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Finding joy in comedy
From there, he went about testing it in Mumbai and even performed at The Habitat last year. More than anything else, Vidyarthi wanted to test how he was with the audience. The result of this experiment is that earlier this month, the actor known for his villainous roles, got a full house in Kolkata at Top Cat, for his comedy. He shares, "My years of working in theatre and as an actor over the last 32 years, really fell into place. I am very proud of the fact that I have created something which is funny and does not have abuses. It's not speaking about someone. It's making fun of myself. I have quite a lot of material in my life, which I'm joking about."

The origin behind the name ‘Sit Down Ashish' is even more interesting because it is relatable to him in more ways than one. Even though he has been an actor for over three decades, it hasn't stopped him from pursuing his other interests, and every time he does that, Vidyarthi has got the same reaction from people. He shares, "All my life I've been wanting to and doing many things out of the regular. There are different times that people in different ways say, ‘All right, sit down. Just sit down'. They say, ‘Now you're also a motivational speaker; now you're also a vlogger. Now, can you just sit down? I said, ‘Sure. I love that. I'll take it and do a standup on that name'."

Even as he dons this new hat, the actor likes to call himself a ‘newborn 58-year-old standup comedian', but one that is definitely going from one high to another. While he received a standing ovation early on in Mumbai, he went on to get a house full of people between 18 - 93 years in Kolkata, laughing at him. In the process, Vidyarthi realised how much he loves the stage, as videos of him performing show him being as dramatic as can be, and this weekend is going to be no different from the looks of it.

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Laughing at himself
He shares, "Challenges have always intrigued me. So, I said ‘how will it be if I can just have that microphone and the audience right in front of me? And how will it be if I can tell the stories and tell the stories in a way that people say, ‘Oh gosh, he's laughing at himself.' A lot of things have happened in my life starting from my childhood till now. I brought in all the instances and brought it in such a way that people see that what is initially hurt can later turn into comedy."

Being one to always enjoy challenges, Vidyarthi says for the longest time people have thought of him only as a villain and so he went about doing all the things he could possibly do, and comedy is one of them now. He shares, "People bracket themselves and people then bracket you and then you start believing in those brackets." Finding novelty out of it, he says this is an extension of him to show people that there is more to him than being an actor. He explains, 'Sit Down Ashish' is an ode to people really going about doing the things that they really wish to do."

If comedy is really what Vidyarthi wishes to do apart from acting and his motivational talks and vlogs, then it is only poetic that he comes back to perform in the city he did his first show, but the city is more than just a venue for him. He shares, "There is something about Mumbai. Let's face it. There is something about Mumbai that makes people gravitate towards it. People are in the business of life and making a living. They are here to do something amazing with their life. Therefore, they also love to have a great time. When they come for something like this (comedy gig), they can come with the entire family and literally let their hair down."

Apart from instances from his life and love for food, his set will obviously have him talk about films and living the ‘celebrity life'. After all, how can he miss out on something so intrinsic to him? "I have woven in instances from films. That is where I draw my existence from. It is a story of lives that I have led, films that I have shot, and of hearts and the many times that my heart has been broken," he adds, but it will have a funny take on it all.

It is also why doing comedy for him is just him being somebody who loves to break images and create new ones, and to simply have the ability to not take himself seriously. "I always had the funny bone. It was a way to insulate myself from the pain and hurt that I did receive, and we all receive. I didn't want to laugh at others and get sued. So, I said, why don't I laugh at myself?" he concludes.

Where: Royal Opera House, Charni Road
When: May 25
Time: 7:30 pm onwards
Price: Rs 499 onwards