Remember the 3 Idiots scene where Farhan's father finally breaks down and wants to buy his son a camera to give wings to his dreams? You know why it resonated with children across the nation? It is mainly because situations and conditioning often come in the way of dreams and aspirations. Imagine walking up to your parents and telling them that you are done with the sport of cricket... the sport that ignites a billion passionate Indians. Imagine doing all of this when you are 26. That's exactly what the multi-faceted Ashwath Bobo did one day. "I played my last game in the first week of June 2022," says Ashwath, who has since then completed an MBA, become a competent content creator, a sports broadcaster, an actor, and has been part of the commentary panel on various sporting events, including the recently concluded Indian Premier League.
"I am a Jack of all trades, I guess. I've dabbled in making short films, completed four grades of keyboard from the Trinity College of Music, hosted stage shows, danced on stage, done mimicry, made music, and of course, played cricket. But being the jack of many trades also resulted in people thinking I wasn't focussed on cricket. But, I always gave it my all," says Ashwath, who shares that it wasn't an easy decision to let go of something that meant a lot to him for 18 long years. "Honestly, in the last phase of my career, I knew in my mind that I was done. Soon after quitting, I went to college, and there was a dissonance for a few months. There was a sense of having nothing to show for my time in cricket, especially since I didn't make it to the Ranji Trophy level."
Interestingly, Ashwath points out that India doesn't reward multitaskers, and he has faced that upfront, considering his interests in various fields. "Look at how Dwayne Bravo and Brett Lee are not just successful players but happy musicians too. Of course, they are playing at the highest level, but they also have time to pursue other interests. Nevertheless, the judgments aside, it is my proclivity towards exploring the creative side that opened doors for me. When cricket dipped, I took up freelance opportunities, wrote songs, did voiceovers, etc... " says Ashwath, who is now revelling in the space of a content creator, broadcaster, and aspiring actor.
Talking about how he developed a fascination for content creation, Ashwath says that every generation needs a crutch to ride on, and for this era, it is social media. "If you are in sports or entertainment, being active on social media is an X factor. Right from the times of Orkut and Facebook to YouTube and Instagram, I have always liked the traction and validation," says Ashwath, whose life turned for the better when a reaction reel to Vijay Antony's songs became viral. "I shared it before I left for Pune for my college after quitting cricket. It was a 24-hour journey, and by the time I reached the city, my follower count had increased, and the video reached a million views. I have just ridden that wave ever since."
However, content creation comes with a share of pitfalls, especially the relentless trolling, especially since Ashwath's content revolved around cricket and cinema, and the occasional videos with his mother where they navigate the language of Hindi. "Initially, I had no filters, and I didn't realise that my follower base had kids too. My mom used to admonish me when I used swear words in my videos," says Ashwath, who reveals that he soon understood the need for self-censorship to ensure his videos do not offend anyone. "But hate can get to you, right? A single comment can derail your mental space. I'm used to it by now. But my mom is getting affected. Hate from one video spills over to another. Nevertheless, if you take time and effort, you can filter out content and make it accessible for all."
Ashwath, who has a decent follower count on social media, recently stepped into the world of cinema. He made his acting debut in Sashikanth's Test, starring Siddharth, Nayanthara, and Madhavan in the lead. Although it was a new field altogether, the industry of dreams allowed him to fulfil a dream of his own. "I played an Indian cricketer in Test, and it felt surreal to live my life's ambition, albeit in a different way. Even that offer came to me through social media," says Ashwath, who also understood the vagaries of cinema right in his first film. "Even though I am part of multiple scenes in the film, I don't have any dialogue. But there was a long scene that I had with Siddharth anna that had a few dialogues, but that scene didn't make the final cut. I did feel sad about the same, but it was a great learning experience. Stepping back into Chepauk, meeting all the groundstaff, and playing in Indian whites brought back a flood of memories. That regret slowly crept in, but I made peace with my decision."
Although Ashwath has acting aspirations, he is balancing them with his broadcasting ambitions. Once again, he is juggling careers and hoping to prove his credentials as a jack-of-all-trades. "Broadcasting is a world that my feet are firmly placed in right now. However, even while commentating, I make sure that the storyteller in me is alive. This life is something that happened by making various difficult choices," says Ashwath, who also points out that this journey is never easy, and it is never personal. In a country like India, where excelling isn't seen as the by-product of trying, but the only option, a support system is paramount in the lives of dreamers and the good ol' Jacks.
"Even before I decided to quit cricket, my mom told me to look at alternatives because my career wasn't going the way I wanted it to go. It wasn't easy for her to point it out because it used to rile me up. While my dad never stopped me from following what I wanted, my mom acted as the reality check. It was important. And then, my then-girlfriend and now-wife also supported my decision to shift career paths. Acceptance isn't easy for people to shift careers at an age the world expects you to 'settle' and I think I lucked out on that front," says Ashwath, who hopes he gets the opportunity to knock down a few more doors as an actor and a broadcaster. "It is good to be the jack of all trades, but you have to find what you can master, too."