An intimate evening at Seagull Studio where Ashish Vidyarthi transforms personal memory into performance, revealing the power of storytelling, restraint, and emotional truth through a script-less, deeply human theatrical experience in Guwahati. Utpal Datta writes…

From Memory to Performance: Ashish Vidyarthi on intimate space
In Guwahati’s Seagull Studio, acclaimed actor Ashish Vidyarthi presented Kahanibaaz, an intimate, unscripted performance drawn from personal memory. This reflective theatre experience explored storytelling, emotional recall, and performance craft, offering audiences a rare close encounter with the actor’s artistic depth.

Ashish Vidyarthi is a well-known figure in Indian cinema and theatre, widely recognised for his memorable portrayals of negative characters. A former student of the National School of Drama, Vidyarthi is an actor whose craft rewards close observation. Watching him perform at close quarters is a rare and enriching experience for any theatre enthusiast. We were fortunate to witness this at the Seagull Studio in Guwahati, thanks to his friend Baharul Islam and Bhagirathi. Though Baharul now spends most of his time in Mumbai due to his work in films and web series, Seagull Studio continues to function with the same energy and commitment. Ashish Vidyarthi’s performance, titled Kahanibaaz, was scheduled to begin at 6:30 in the evening of 2nd January.

We entered the studio a little before the appointed time. The space was essentially a large room belonging to Baharul Islam, designed like a black box theatre—black fabric draped on all sides, a modest performance area in front, and a gallery at the back. We took our seats in the gallery. A circular pool of light appeared at the centre of the floor, and Ashish Vidyarthi stepped into it. He greeted the audience and began by speaking about himself. As the title Kahanibaaz suggested, the evening was devoted to stories drawn from his own life.

Interactive Storytelling Through Audience Emotions

Beside the spot where he stood was a frame with a sheet of white paper pinned to it. Vidyarthi immediately established a direct rapport with the audience. His means were simple yet effective—open body language and a gentle, disarming smile. He invited the audience to share words associated with different emotions. As responses came in, he wrote them on the paper. From these words, he selected one and began narrating a story connected to that emotion. Gradually, several such stories unfolded. Through them, he travelled back to his childhood and youth, sharing moments and feelings from those years in a style that was at once dramatic and deeply personal.

What stood out was the way Ashish Vidyarthi created intense emotional and theatrical moments with minimal physical movement and finely controlled voice modulation. The stories themselves contained little overt drama; instead, they were rich in emotional depth. The emotions he expressed resonated throughout his entire presence—in his posture, in his speech, and most strikingly, in his eyes. At times, his eyes glistened with emotion; at others, they widened with wonder or softened into a quiet smile. Sudden shifts in mood and feeling occurred during the narration, and these transitions were rendered with remarkable subtlety, sensitivity, and artistic discipline.

Unscripted Theatre Drawn From Personal Memory
We have been familiar with Ashish Vidyarthi’s acting since Drohkāl—albeit only through the screen. This performance revealed a new dimension of his artistry. There was no written script guiding the evening. Everything flowed directly from his memory and reflection, with only occasional reference to a few points on his iPad. Yet, the narrative progressed with such ease and fluency that its dramatic rhythm, momentum, and emotional appeal came alive effortlessly. This is an exceptionally demanding form of performance, and one that only a seasoned actor can carry through with such assurance.
Midway through one of the stories, Ashish Vidyarthi invited a young and talented Assamese singer, Ashirbani Kor, from the audience. Seamlessly weaving this into the narration, he requested her to sing. The song that followed blended beautifully with the story, becoming an integral part of it. Ashirbani is a gifted musician, and presenting her on a platform such as this reflected Vidyarthi’s generous and artistically sensitive temperament.

For creating an environment where a performer could be elevated to an artist—and for offering the audience the pleasure of witnessing that transformation—Baharul Islam and Bhagirathi deserve sincere appreciation.

Childhood Memories Revisited Through Mature Reflection
The stories Vidyarthi shared were deeply rooted in his childhood memories. When the emotions of his childhood and youth were revisited through the reflective lens of maturity, they acquired new layers of meaning. These experiences were distilled into short, incisive observations—reflections born of lived life. Such moments of insight emerged as a central strength of the evening. For an entire hour, the audience remained absorbed, almost spellbound.

It must be noted, however, that at certain moments the background music disrupted the dramatic intensity. During one particularly emotional passage, the performer’s voice gradually softened, drawing the audience deeper into the experience. At that precise moment, the sudden swell of loud music fractured the mood—at least for this viewer. Apart from this minor dissonance, the evening remained a deeply memorable and enriching experience.
Photo UTPAL DATTA