Ashish Vidyarthi was born on June 19, 1965, in Delhi, India. He comes from a diverse background, with a Malayali father from Kerala and a Bengali mother from Rajasthan. His mother, Reba Vidyarthi, was a Kathak guru, while his father, Govind Vidyarthi, is known for his work in cataloging vanishing performing arts. Ashish studied at the National School of Drama and graduated in 1990. He began his acting career in the Kannada film "Anand" in 1986 and later gained prominence with his role in "Drohkaal," for which he won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1995. Over the years, he has appeared in more than 300 films across various languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. Ashish is recognized for his versatility, often portraying antagonistic characters and comedic roles. In addition to acting, he is a motivational speaker and co-founder of AVID MINER Conversations. He has been married twice; first to Piloo Vidyarthi (Rajoshi) in 2001, with whom he has a son named Arth. The couple divorced in 2022. In 2023, he married Rupali Barua.