Ashish Vidyarthi reveals how he celebrated his National Award win amid financial struggles: 'Even the teetotallers wanted to drink that day...'

Even after achieving one of Indian cinema’s highest honors, National Award-winning actor Ashish Vidyarthi faced unexpected challenges. In a recent interview, he opened up about the financial struggles that shadowed his early success, including the anxious moments surrounding the celebration of his award and the tough choices he had to make in his career.In a candid interview with Siddharth Kannan, Ashish recalled that after winning the National Award for Drohkaal, his director Govind Nihalani suggested hosting a celebration. However, Ashish was struggling to pay his rent at the time and couldn’t afford a party.The actor further recalled that his director had suggested booking a table at Mainland China, a restaurant he had only seen from the outside and never imagined dining in.Despite his financial worries, Vidyarthi went ahead with the party, encouraged by a friend, though anxiety lingered throughout the evening. He even avoided ordering alcohol to keep costs down and worried about covering the bill. At one point, he nervously asked Govind Nihalani what would happen if he couldn’t pay, fearing the worst.To his immense relief, the director assured Ashish that he would cover the cost, allowing him to finally enjoy the celebration. Reflecting on his career after the award, Ashish revealed that financial responsibility toward his parents led him to accept any work available, including roles in several B-grade films.