The Journey of Thala Ajith kumar
The Journey Of AJITH KUMAR From A Common Man To The THALA OF Tamil Cinema!
Actors may come and go. Stars may rise and fall but, AJITH KUMAR is here to stay, to rule and to floor us with his invincible charm and talent every time he hits the silver screen. Ajith is undoubtedly the “THALA of Kollywood”
Whatever Ajith is today in the industry, from nowhere, from scratch to be a successful Mass actor is only because of his hard work. Without a godfather in K-town to the Thala of Kollywood, Ajith sure has come a long way. From his first job as a two wheeler mechanic at Enfield to a garment exporter at Erode and finally to be the King of Openings in Tamil Cinema , this man has worked his way to success.
As people across the world celebrate his box office hit Vedalam, we bring you a quick recap of Ultimate Star Ajith’s life:
MAjith-kidAY 1, 1971
The proud son of a Sindhi mother and a Keralite father was born on the first of May, 1971. Ajith had had very little exposure to Tamil as a kid and mastered it only after becoming an actor. From his childhood days, it is clear that our ‘Thala’ was never afraid of pursuing his dreams. He was an early school drop out. But as soon as he found what his passion was ‘Motor Racing’, he did all that he could to achieve his grail.
Entry of Thala : May 24, 1993
It was nearly 23 years ago that Ajith Kumar entered the Tamil film industry when he essayed the lead role in ‘Amaravathi’. Back then, just about no one could have imagined that the then 21-year-old newcomer would soon redefine the very course of southern cinema, winning over countless dedicated and loving fans.
Ajith knows how to overcome adversity Ajith-mechanic
Once on an interview, when asked about how difficult was his journey, Thala had briefed about his early struggles,
“Do you know what happened during the shooting of my first film? The director of my first film died in front of me and the film was shelved. I was only 20 then. You can say I have seen it all by the time I was 20. Finally when my first film got released, I was in bed after the race accident and I had to be in bed for one-and-a-half years. Those were very depressing days.”
1995: First Kollywood Break
He got his first break on the big screen when he appeared in his first major success, Aasai, directed by Vasanth and produced Ajith-aasaiby Mani Ratnam, alongside Suvalakshmi and Prakash Raj in 1995. The movie was a big success and established Ajith as an upcoming actor in the Tamil film industry.
Luck favoured him as well and he was offered not one or two, but four roles. The same year saw three more releases. Kadhal Kottai was his first success followed by Amitabh Bachchan’s Tamil production Ullaasam with Maheswari, in which he was paid a salary of ₹2 million for the first time. Ajith returned in 1998 with another biggest successful project in Saran’s Kadhal Mannan, with the “masala film” setting the foundations for an expanding fan base.
1996: Thala made us fall in love with romance and Kadhal Kottai – His second big blockbuster
Kadhal Kottai changed the way Indian cinema and the audience looked at romance in Kollywood forever. The film which told the tale of two people falling in unconditional love without seeing each other until the climax.
Ajith-vaali
1999: Wins first Filmfare Best Actor Award for Vaali
Playing a deaf-and-dumb twin role in Vaali, Ajith touched another milestone in his career. A great achievement by Thala is that he made sure that he was always in the limelight with the number of films that he did. From the average 3 movies that released every year, at least one of them would be a hit! 1995-1999 seemed to be a great year for Ajith – his three movies were a hit, two nominations for Filmfare’s best actor award and his first Filmfare award as well.
Ajith-shalini
2000: Ajith ties the knot with girlfriend and popular actress Shalini
Post Amarkalam release, Ajith tied the knot with girlfriend and popular actress Shalini. Interestingly, as Shalini was a Christian, ‘Thala’ decided to get married according to the customs of Hinduism as well Christianity. This added a truly filmy touch to their marriage and established Ajith as the very personification of secularism.
2000 – 2001: Mugavari, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Dheena, Citizen, Red; Ajith gets experimentive
The life of a struggling music composer(Mugavari), an aspiring young director who will wed his love only after achieving his dream of directing his own film(Kandukondain kandukondain), an action hero appealing to the masses and finally a nine-getup role(citizen), Ajith got too experimental in 2000 and 2001.
Ajith-DheenaWins our hearts and is fondly called THALA of Tamil Cinema
The film Dheena’s success indirectly marked the beginning of a new image of Ajith, that of an action hero that would appeal to the masses. Director A.R.Murugadoss also mentioned once that Ajith had given him a life in Tamil cinema by accepting to work on his debut movie. With his nickname Thala, he earned a new identity among his fans.
Ajith gives a Bollywood glimpse of his style
Even though the 2001 release ‘Asoka’ failed to find much success at the box office, it gave fans of Hindi cinema a good look at the phenomena called Ajith Kumar. Sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan, ‘Thala’ delivered a gripping performance.Ajith-ARM
Ajith is known for giving opportunities to new directors who then go on to become huge brands themselves. SJ Suriyah ( Vaali ), A.L Vijay ( Kireedam ), V.Z Durai ( Mugavari) and A R Murugadoss (Dheena) are prominent examples.
Ajith proves again – When it comes to acting, no one comes even closer!
In Villain, Ajith played an arduous dual role – one as a mentally ill handicap. The movie became a blockbuster and in return earning Ajith his second Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award.
Consecutive flops in a row but he will not give up!
Ajith is not what he has done.
Ajith is what he has overcome.
It was a demoralizing phase in the actor’s career with flops in a row – Anjaneya, Aalwar, Jana, Ji and Thirupathi. However he compensated this with his success Paramasivan for which he had lost twenty kilograms and came back trim and taut.
Scores a perfect goal with Varalaru
Varalaru turned out to be a super hit movie in terms of collection due to the three roles he played as an old man who was once a classical dancer and two identical twins, with one being the antagonist. This movie also won him his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
Ajith-varlaru
2007 – Ajith proves he is the King of Comebacks
If there is some one who can Play as a BOND in Tamil Film – then it can only be Thala Ajith kumar.
This don based movie broke his previous records. When Ajith Kumar was roped in to essay the lead role in the official remake of Rajinikanth starrer ‘Billa’, it created quite a stir amongst movie buffs. Many of them wondered whether Ajith would be able to do justice to a role immortalized by the ‘Thalaivaa’ himself. However, when the film arrived in theatres, Ajith’s critics were forced to eat humble pie. Directed by Vishnuvardhan, the gangster-thriller emerged a big hit at the box office.
Ajith-billa
2011 – Ajith’s 50th MANKATHA – Proves he can be both the Hero and the Villain
If there is someone to be credited for making the anti-hero look cool in Kollywood, it’s Ajith Kumar. Kudos to an actor who defies norms and decides to do such a role in his 50th film Mankatha, instead of playing it safe with a formulaic Kollywood offering.
2012-2015: “King of Openings” can only be Ajith Kumar
Ajith-mankatha
With his box office hits Billa 2, Aarambam, Veeram, Yennai Arindhal and Vedhalam, Thala has lived up to his name as the “King of Openings” yet again. In fact, Thala Ajith beat Superstar Rajinikanth and made Tamil cinema history on Tuesday with his film Vedhalam that is said to have made between Rs 14.5-16 crore in Tamil Nadu alone at the box office.
The THALAS of Thala
ajith-racerAjith is a certified Formula race driver!
He is ranked number 3 in India at his peak! It is an incredible record as he is one of the best drivers of Formula 2. In-spite of being bed ridden for almost two years in 1992, nothing could stop Thala from racing which was his passion.
Ajith is an Avid Pilot!Ajith-RC
He is one of the very few to fly a fighter jet! And also holds a pilot license. His craziness towards aviation made him build and co-own an RC-Airfield in the outskirts of Chennai. He along with his friend practice with RC-helicopters and RC-jets in this airfield. The Runway is specifically designed by our Thala according to AMA norms. This was the first exclusive airfield to have come in the city.
Ajith-photographyAjith is a professional and adaptive photographer!
He owns a special photo studio inside his home and also offers photo shoots to his acquaintances. One such occasion was when his Veeram co-star Appukutty was photographed by Thala in his studio. In one of the TV shows, Appukutty had mentioned it being his greatest moment in his life. What kind of a Superhero would invite his upcoming co-star for a photo shoot and also arrange make-up artists and the respective costumes for him? This man is indeed a superhero!
Ajith-chefAn excellent Chef and an amazing Host
Biriyani is his masterpiece. But a few closer ones reveal the fact that the aroma of Sambar he prepares spreads out throughout the streets of his residence. No one can beat his hospitality. When anyone is invited by him to his residence, it’s not his driver, watchman or assistant opening up the gates, but Ajith himself walks and accompanies his guests inside the house.
An Actor, A Trend Setter, A Professional Racer, A Photographer – One Man Different Faces, The Name is Ajith Kumar!
After Kamal, the one Tamil actor to experiment with so many makeovers is undoubtedly Ajith. From 1990’s Enn Veedu Enn Kanavar that featured him as a scrawny 19-year-old teenager to Vedalam’s don-of-the-masses avatar, he has sported around 75 looks!
How can a Hero be admired more by people of the same gender?
That’s only because, he is a self made man. I cannot stress this enough. Make a count of all the top actors in Tamil industry today. Tell me how many of them made it entirely on themselves without having any family background? Ajith did that. He had zero knowledge about the industry when he started as an actor. He made countless mistakes and learnt on his own and has finally reached this position. That is why he is a huge inspiration to so many young actors. Ask any new actor who his favorite star is. The answer would most certainly be Ajith. He is their hope. If Ajith could do it, they also can.
In short, Ajith is the quintessential man’s man. He is a self made guy. He is stylish, brave and loves fast cars. He is simple and humble and helps people in need. He is a responsible father and husband. How can you not admire him? Despite being a girl, he is the man I want to be like, if I ever can be.
We bow down with respect, Thala!
Forever and fondly, Ajith will always be our
THALA!
THALA POLA VARUMA?
Actors may come and go. Stars may rise and fall but, AJITH KUMAR is here to stay, to rule and to floor us with his invincible charm and talent every time he hits the silver screen. Ajith is undoubtedly the “THALA of Kollywood”
Whatever Ajith is today in the industry, from nowhere, from scratch to be a successful Mass actor is only because of his hard work. Without a godfather in K-town to the Thala of Kollywood, Ajith sure has come a long way. From his first job as a two wheeler mechanic at Enfield to a garment exporter at Erode and finally to be the King of Openings in Tamil Cinema , this man has worked his way to success.
As people across the world celebrate his box office hit Vedalam, we bring you a quick recap of Ultimate Star Ajith’s life:
MAjith-kidAY 1, 1971
Entry of Thala : May 24, 1993
It was nearly 23 years ago that Ajith Kumar entered the Tamil film industry when he essayed the lead role in ‘Amaravathi’. Back then, just about no one could have imagined that the then 21-year-old newcomer would soon redefine the very course of southern cinema, winning over countless dedicated and loving fans.
Ajith knows how to overcome adversity Ajith-mechanic
Once on an interview, when asked about how difficult was his journey, Thala had briefed about his early struggles,
“Do you know what happened during the shooting of my first film? The director of my first film died in front of me and the film was shelved. I was only 20 then. You can say I have seen it all by the time I was 20. Finally when my first film got released, I was in bed after the race accident and I had to be in bed for one-and-a-half years. Those were very depressing days.”
1995: First Kollywood Break
He got his first break on the big screen when he appeared in his first major success, Aasai, directed by Vasanth and produced Ajith-aasaiby Mani Ratnam, alongside Suvalakshmi and Prakash Raj in 1995. The movie was a big success and established Ajith as an upcoming actor in the Tamil film industry.
Luck favoured him as well and he was offered not one or two, but four roles. The same year saw three more releases. Kadhal Kottai was his first success followed by Amitabh Bachchan’s Tamil production Ullaasam with Maheswari, in which he was paid a salary of ₹2 million for the first time. Ajith returned in 1998 with another biggest successful project in Saran’s Kadhal Mannan, with the “masala film” setting the foundations for an expanding fan base.
1996: Thala made us fall in love with romance and Kadhal Kottai – His second big blockbuster
Kadhal Kottai changed the way Indian cinema and the audience looked at romance in Kollywood forever. The film which told the tale of two people falling in unconditional love without seeing each other until the climax.
Ajith-vaali
1999: Wins first Filmfare Best Actor Award for Vaali
Playing a deaf-and-dumb twin role in Vaali, Ajith touched another milestone in his career. A great achievement by Thala is that he made sure that he was always in the limelight with the number of films that he did. From the average 3 movies that released every year, at least one of them would be a hit! 1995-1999 seemed to be a great year for Ajith – his three movies were a hit, two nominations for Filmfare’s best actor award and his first Filmfare award as well.
Ajith-shalini
2000: Ajith ties the knot with girlfriend and popular actress Shalini
Post Amarkalam release, Ajith tied the knot with girlfriend and popular actress Shalini. Interestingly, as Shalini was a Christian, ‘Thala’ decided to get married according to the customs of Hinduism as well Christianity. This added a truly filmy touch to their marriage and established Ajith as the very personification of secularism.
2000 – 2001: Mugavari, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Dheena, Citizen, Red; Ajith gets experimentive
The life of a struggling music composer(Mugavari), an aspiring young director who will wed his love only after achieving his dream of directing his own film(Kandukondain kandukondain), an action hero appealing to the masses and finally a nine-getup role(citizen), Ajith got too experimental in 2000 and 2001.
Ajith-DheenaWins our hearts and is fondly called THALA of Tamil Cinema
The film Dheena’s success indirectly marked the beginning of a new image of Ajith, that of an action hero that would appeal to the masses. Director A.R.Murugadoss also mentioned once that Ajith had given him a life in Tamil cinema by accepting to work on his debut movie. With his nickname Thala, he earned a new identity among his fans.
Ajith gives a Bollywood glimpse of his style
Even though the 2001 release ‘Asoka’ failed to find much success at the box office, it gave fans of Hindi cinema a good look at the phenomena called Ajith Kumar. Sharing screen space with Shah Rukh Khan, ‘Thala’ delivered a gripping performance.Ajith-ARM
Ajith is known for giving opportunities to new directors who then go on to become huge brands themselves. SJ Suriyah ( Vaali ), A.L Vijay ( Kireedam ), V.Z Durai ( Mugavari) and A R Murugadoss (Dheena) are prominent examples.
Ajith proves again – When it comes to acting, no one comes even closer!
In Villain, Ajith played an arduous dual role – one as a mentally ill handicap. The movie became a blockbuster and in return earning Ajith his second Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award.
Consecutive flops in a row but he will not give up!
Ajith is not what he has done.
Ajith is what he has overcome.
It was a demoralizing phase in the actor’s career with flops in a row – Anjaneya, Aalwar, Jana, Ji and Thirupathi. However he compensated this with his success Paramasivan for which he had lost twenty kilograms and came back trim and taut.
Scores a perfect goal with Varalaru
Varalaru turned out to be a super hit movie in terms of collection due to the three roles he played as an old man who was once a classical dancer and two identical twins, with one being the antagonist. This movie also won him his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor.
Ajith-varlaru
2007 – Ajith proves he is the King of Comebacks
If there is some one who can Play as a BOND in Tamil Film – then it can only be Thala Ajith kumar.
This don based movie broke his previous records. When Ajith Kumar was roped in to essay the lead role in the official remake of Rajinikanth starrer ‘Billa’, it created quite a stir amongst movie buffs. Many of them wondered whether Ajith would be able to do justice to a role immortalized by the ‘Thalaivaa’ himself. However, when the film arrived in theatres, Ajith’s critics were forced to eat humble pie. Directed by Vishnuvardhan, the gangster-thriller emerged a big hit at the box office.
Ajith-billa
2011 – Ajith’s 50th MANKATHA – Proves he can be both the Hero and the Villain
If there is someone to be credited for making the anti-hero look cool in Kollywood, it’s Ajith Kumar. Kudos to an actor who defies norms and decides to do such a role in his 50th film Mankatha, instead of playing it safe with a formulaic Kollywood offering.
2012-2015: “King of Openings” can only be Ajith Kumar
Ajith-mankatha
With his box office hits Billa 2, Aarambam, Veeram, Yennai Arindhal and Vedhalam, Thala has lived up to his name as the “King of Openings” yet again. In fact, Thala Ajith beat Superstar Rajinikanth and made Tamil cinema history on Tuesday with his film Vedhalam that is said to have made between Rs 14.5-16 crore in Tamil Nadu alone at the box office.
The THALAS of Thala
ajith-racerAjith is a certified Formula race driver!
He is ranked number 3 in India at his peak! It is an incredible record as he is one of the best drivers of Formula 2. In-spite of being bed ridden for almost two years in 1992, nothing could stop Thala from racing which was his passion.
Ajith is an Avid Pilot!Ajith-RC
He is one of the very few to fly a fighter jet! And also holds a pilot license. His craziness towards aviation made him build and co-own an RC-Airfield in the outskirts of Chennai. He along with his friend practice with RC-helicopters and RC-jets in this airfield. The Runway is specifically designed by our Thala according to AMA norms. This was the first exclusive airfield to have come in the city.
Ajith-photographyAjith is a professional and adaptive photographer!
He owns a special photo studio inside his home and also offers photo shoots to his acquaintances. One such occasion was when his Veeram co-star Appukutty was photographed by Thala in his studio. In one of the TV shows, Appukutty had mentioned it being his greatest moment in his life. What kind of a Superhero would invite his upcoming co-star for a photo shoot and also arrange make-up artists and the respective costumes for him? This man is indeed a superhero!
Ajith-chefAn excellent Chef and an amazing Host
Biriyani is his masterpiece. But a few closer ones reveal the fact that the aroma of Sambar he prepares spreads out throughout the streets of his residence. No one can beat his hospitality. When anyone is invited by him to his residence, it’s not his driver, watchman or assistant opening up the gates, but Ajith himself walks and accompanies his guests inside the house.
An Actor, A Trend Setter, A Professional Racer, A Photographer – One Man Different Faces, The Name is Ajith Kumar!
After Kamal, the one Tamil actor to experiment with so many makeovers is undoubtedly Ajith. From 1990’s Enn Veedu Enn Kanavar that featured him as a scrawny 19-year-old teenager to Vedalam’s don-of-the-masses avatar, he has sported around 75 looks!
How can a Hero be admired more by people of the same gender?
That’s only because, he is a self made man. I cannot stress this enough. Make a count of all the top actors in Tamil industry today. Tell me how many of them made it entirely on themselves without having any family background? Ajith did that. He had zero knowledge about the industry when he started as an actor. He made countless mistakes and learnt on his own and has finally reached this position. That is why he is a huge inspiration to so many young actors. Ask any new actor who his favorite star is. The answer would most certainly be Ajith. He is their hope. If Ajith could do it, they also can.
In short, Ajith is the quintessential man’s man. He is a self made guy. He is stylish, brave and loves fast cars. He is simple and humble and helps people in need. He is a responsible father and husband. How can you not admire him? Despite being a girl, he is the man I want to be like, if I ever can be.
We bow down with respect, Thala!
Forever and fondly, Ajith will always be our
THALA!
THALA POLA VARUMA?
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