Ashish Vidyarthi’s first wife Piloo breaks silence after his second wedding: ‘He never cheated on me’

Talented actor, singer, and former RJ, Piloo Vidyarthi, alias Rajoshi Vidyarthi, is a private person and likes to maintain so on social media. However, the actor got wrapped up in controversy after her ex-husband, actor Ashish Vidyarthi took everyone by surprise with the news of his wedding. In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Piloo came forward to talk about her personal life. Also read: Ashish Vidyarthi gets married again, ties the knot with Rupali Barua at 60

On Thursday, Ashish Vidyarthi, 60, tied the knot with entrepreneur Rupali Barua, 50, in Kolkata. Piloo revealed that the two went separate ways in 2021 and since then lived happily. Last October, they filed for their divorce petition and have remained friends.

Not a lot of people knew that you two have separated and the wedding pictures came as a shocker. Was it a mutual decision to not announce the separation?

Piloo Vidyarthi: Yes, we didn’t feel the need to tell people about it. We are not into media broadcasting, PR and letting everyone know. We both are good friends and we have maintained it till now. These 22 years were the best part of my life. If you ask him, he will probably say the same thing.

He has been an amazing partner and we have travelled together for years. We had a lot of common interests. Obviously, we people are bound to have different choices too but we never had a clash because, to the core, we are quite similar. We are still the same. Our son, we have a beautiful son.

Tell us about Arth…

Piloo Vidyarthi: Ashish has contributed to the upbringing of our son. He is his friend and a guide. People usually say that a mother is the one who does it all for the kid, maybe that’s how society perceives it or even sees it on screen, of course, a mother does a lot but so does a father play a huge role.

Arth is now working at Tesla in Austin. He has all the best qualities of his father. We both have contributed to raising a beautiful human being, called Arth Vidyarthi. He is such a sensitive, mature, amazing person and full of humour. He has understood everything (between us) beautifully.

There are so many narratives about you and Ashish floating on the internet today…What really happened?

Piloo Vidyarthi: It is something I might have not realised before or maybe it was there but I didn’t feel like expressing it. My child grew up and left for abroad. As an artist, I did what I wanted to and no one restricted me. But, when I explored, I realised my callings, and that is when I knew that our (my and Ashish’s) future wants are different. He has all the right to fulfil his dreams, whatever he aspires to be in future.

We have heard about this thing–you have to compromise in a marriage. People end up doing it, we all do. But, what many might not know is that it happens behind closed doors. You don’t know how much one is compromising mentally or materialistically, it’s a thin line, and you cannot measure it. At least I cannot live like that, you see. What he wants is different from my wants, they don’t match being married. I know people who do it. I am not calling them wrong, but I see people putting up long posts on social media about their spouses. Deep down I wonder how much of it that we see on social media is true. Only they know the truth, right?

In my personal life, I have different needs now. I cannot fill the goal of Mrs Vidyarthi now.

Coming to us, there was no torture, hardship or anything as people are speculating. We are two different people. For two years we tried to go our separate paths and now he is doing great in his career. I have been looking after a lot of backend things for the last five years. In my personal life, I have different needs now. I cannot fill the goal of Mrs Vidyarthi now.

It must be hard, especially now that people are trying to find out who did what…

Piloo Vidyarthi: I wouldn’t have been able to make this decision without Ashish’s support. He handled it beautifully and made it easy for both of us. He was like ‘Let’s do this, let’s do that and then see.’ I have heard about lawyers often engaging in ugly fights but nothing as such happened between us.

I am going bonkers with the interpretation people are having about us. This is not fair. Ashish never cheated on me. Even if people are thinking that all he wanted was to get married again. This is completely a false narrative.

Everyone deserves a second chance at love…

Piloo Vidyarthi: Amar biyer dorkar nei tai ami biye korchina. Amar biyer dorkar hole amio kortam (I don’t need to get married. I would have done it if required). That’s not my need. He needs a partner. We cannot hang a man because of his needs. He has found someone that’s a good thing.

When did you file for the divorce?

Piloo Vidyarthi: Last year in Oct we filed a petition together. No one has pushed anyone. This was completely mutual. I have spent a very long time of my life as Shakuntala Barua’s daughter and Ashish Vidyarthi’s wife. Now the time has come that I want to walk my path alone. I want my own identity and just to be clear, it wasn’t like he has ever crushed my identity. I just realised that he is seeing a different future, I am seeing a different one.

People in today’s time agree to go separate ways without doing much about it, we just didn’t want to do it. Hence, we decided to stay friends instead. I will always be there for you with prayers and good wishes. I am sure he doesn’t have anything but good things for me in his mind.