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Ajith is celebrating his 52nd birthday today, and over the years, his fans have taken pride in the fact that their idol’s birthday falls on International Labor Day. His fans have made him the symbol of a hard-working self-made man in an industry that thrives on nepotism. His growth in the Tamil film industry without any ‘support’ has always been the most powerful weapon his fans have used during online fan battles. Indeed, Ajith has had it rough in the industry. After his debut film Amaravathi (1993), the actor broke his spinal cord in a car racing accident, rendering him bedridden for a year. His injury over the years has been turned into a symbol of hardship. For fans, despite all those injuries, he is a man with a spine. Back in the day, Ajith had this habit of churning out a blockbuster and following it up with a series of flops. For every Asai (1995), there were at least three Minor Mappillai (1996). However, the biggest breakthrough in his career happened with the films Vaali (2000) and Dheena (2001). This propelled the actor into stardom. After the film, he was no more an actor, but a star.
However, that was also the beginning of the worst phases in his career. After Dheena, Ajith had two decent hits, Citizen (2000) and Poovellam Un Vaasam (2001). Then came the slew of disasters Anjaneya, Ji, Jana, Paramasivan, Thirupathi, and Aalwar. There were brief respites in between this carnage like Attahasam and Villain, but they weren’t good enough to make up for the embarrassments. Then came Billa in 2007, which changed everything for Ajith and Tamil cinema. Tamil audiences hadn’t seen such a slick gangster film in their language till then. With its success, Ajith made a bold statement that would make headlines and create a huge debate in Tamil cinema. In an interview with a popular channel, Ajith said that he wanted to be the next superstar. This was perceived as arrogant as the title ‘Superstar’ belonged to Rajinikanth. However, when asked about the same in a press meeting, Ajith said that it is a title every actor aspires for and everyone should be encouraging actors rather than creating controversy out of it.
This was a long time ago.
Ajith Kumar, now, is a different person. He doesn’t seem to be after superstardom. In fact, he seems to be consciously running away from it–or should I say riding away. From dismantling his fans association to being adamant about not making public appearances to promote his films, Ajith has chosen to lead a private life not heeding the burdens of stardom. In a way, it has helped him. Despite not being on social media, pictures of the actor from his bike rides and tours somehow find their way online. Ajith manages to be in the limelight more than the stars who have actual social media presence. Maybe, avoiding PR is perhaps the best PR. But Ajith’s reluctance to be a star has also seeped into his films. An actor, who used to experiment with looks and scripts (Varalaru, Citizen), is now just playing it safe.
The difference between his films Mankatha and Thunivu tells about the difference between Ajith then and now. Mankatha is one of the rare films in Tamil, which was unapologetically amoral. It had a corrupt anti-hero, who actually gets away with his crimes. The film turned out to be a blockbuster. Not delving into the ethics and responsibility of the actor here. But Ajith who did Mankatha had a thirst to do something creative and fun. Now, the Ajith who acted in Thunivu seems to be hellbent on being politically correct, which rendered Thunivu a passable affair. One can be sure that it would be impossible to get something wacky or unique like Mankatha or Vaali from Ajith anymore. Even his film titles have become banal platitudes. Thunivu, Vivegam, Valimai… and now, Vidaamuyarchi. I understand Ajith wants to be a responsible citizen steering his fans towards the right path. Maybe, that’s noble. Maybe, it’s the reflection of his age-related maturity. But, one does wish he does a film like Mankatha again because that’s fun, which is what is expected of stars.
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