Ashish Shrivastav: “In class 12, when my friends were thinking engineering and medical, I was clear in my head to join the media and entertainment industry”

As a kid, director Ashish Shrivastav enjoyed outdoor activities. Nothing could keep him inside the house. He was very creative as well and feels the way he has grown up has contributed in making him what he is today. “When I was in class 4, my father decided to send me to acting classes because I was very much active in cultural activities. I was fond of doing mono act, mimicry, so I went to an acting school in Noida and that’s when I decided that whatever may happen I will make my career in this field only. When I was in my 12th, many of my friends were thinking of doing engineering and medical, but it was clear in my head that I want to be a part of the media and entertainment industry. But due to lack of ideas, I was not able to understand what I did because at that time resources were less as well… So it took time, but finally I am able to do what I wanted to,” says the Ashish, who had helmed TV projects like Shaadi Mubarak, Yeh Rishte Hai Pyar Ke, Piya Albela and Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki.

His father was a government employee, so financially everything was taken care of. “My father never stopped us from doing what we wanted, he always supported our choices. My interest was more towards painting and acting, so he used to send me to competitions and always encouraged me. I loved playing cricket and badminton, so in the evening we all friends used to meet at a garden and play, but I don’t think so nowadays children do all that. We spent our childhood playing sports. Even today when I come home early from a shoot or get a day off I try to play badminton or some other sport,” he adds.

Photos: Madirakshi Mundle reminisces her trip to Leh-Ladakh

Sharing one of his embarrassing childhood experiences, Ashish recalls what happened when he won a competition. “In school there was one competition, in which it was like whoever would win it, will have to do a surprise activity. I won that competition and they told me to wear a saree. It was fun and embarrassing at the same time,” he continues, “I was between an average and very good student, who participated in various extra-curricular activities. Initially, I was average but when I came to 10th and 12th standard, the seriousness automatically came because of my elder brother, who was studious. And, he would make me slog like him as well.”

Talking about the craziest thing he did in school to help his classmates, he says, “During our exams, we used to help each other to cheat. So once during one of our internal exams, I even exchanged answer sheet with my friend and wrote the paper for him. This was the craziest thing I remember.”