Exclusive interview

                                                                            (Part-2)

                                                                        May 10,1999
                                                            
 
                    Following is part-2 of the exclusive interview given by actor Ajithkumar to the popular Tamil fortnightly, "Vasuki" which is coming out from "Dinakaran" Tamil Daily Newspaper group. The details:

                    Question: Your are an excellent sportsperson! How is it that you suddenly stepped into the profession acting in films?

                    Answer: From my school days onwards, sports and games had continued to be my hobby. I studied up to only 10th std.  Beyond that I couldn't show interest in studies! Next, I worked as a mechanic in the Enfield company for 4 years. Afterwards I started my own textile business. I met with loss!

                    In the meantime I was also doing modeling work! Only through it I got chance to act in feature films. But I didn't dream then that one day I would turn into a film star! Initially, I decided to act in films and thereby wanted to settle up all my loans first! When I was 21 years old, my first film in Telugu and in Tamil the film titled "Amaravathi" were released but they didn't have a good run! At last, here also the situation became critical! In the intervening period I suffered a lot for 4 years. I accepted small, small roles in films! Only in that way I acted as Vijay's friend in "Rajavin Paarvaiyile". I just showed my head in only one scene in Suresh Menon's "Paasa Malargal". I accepted all the offers without saying 'no' to anyone because in that way, I believed, I could avoid people calling me 'thandachchoru' etc. The only thinking that occupied my mind then was that one day or other I too would definitely become a great star in film world!

                    Question: To-day you have become one of the leading stars in Tamil. What price do you think you have  given to attain this status?

                    Answer: I don't think  I've given any price! Yet, I have lost my privacy! I ever like to remain an average man! Even now I look after and fulfill my own needs myself! I smoke at least 16 cigarettes a day! I buy my cigar pockets, by myself going to the shop! I don't expect others to do this for me! Yet for the past one month, I have completely stopped cigarette-smoking!  I don't know when I would start smoking, again! Even now I pay visit to the  club regularly. Like this I do get myself directly involved in such small, small affairs. And in that way I feel to be an average sort of man. I like that feeling.

                     Question: What's your first ever victory in cinema line?

                     Answer: It's the film "Aasai" that enabled me taste very great victory. That also secured me stability in cinefield. For that I should thank only Vasanth sir. Only he's my Guru in the beginning days of my career! I have got good regard and respect for him even to-day!

                     Question: Can one say that "Aasai" was out and out your success film?

                     Answer: That's only Vasanth sir's film! Even in it Prakashraj proved to be the talking point! Yet the film that came to be the starting point of my own successs was "Aasai". But the one in which you could see the real Ajithkumar is "Vaali".

                    It's sure that "Vaali" is going to be the one film worthy of my name; the film that's going to change my fate! Moreover either the films I'm presently doing or the ones I'm going to do in the future ....all these certainly going to have the justification of being called the films by Ajith! I will accept only those film offers in which my role happens to be a befitting one! No compromise on this!

                      Question: You had the guts to commit yourself to act in one of the two hero roles in "Unnidaththil Yennai Koduththen", which no other (leading) actor might have agreed to play. Why?

                      Answer: There were two reasons for me to say 'yes' to that film. It was then 6 years since I had entered into film-acting. Until that point I hadn't acted in films directed by technicians of top-ranking category. Even directors like Vasanth sir and Agathiyan were elevated to the status of 'big' directors only now! When I was acting in their films they weren't talked of very 'emphatically!' Only after "Kaathal Kottai" Agathyan became an award-winning, giant director!

                    So I was having within me the long-cherished wish to act in 'big' directors' films! Vikraman sir is a leading director. So as soon as there was an offer for me to act in his film I blindly said 'O.K.'! Originally, they had different scope for that role but since I agreed to act in it, for my sake, they even made some changes in it's scope and concept. Next, for very long I have remained a staunch fan of Karthik sir since the days of my seeing such of his films like "Mauna Raagam" and "Agni Natchathiram". As I had chance to co-act with him in this film I accepted it with two-fold happiness!

                      Question: When you co-act with leading senior artists do you have any feeling that your own image gets affected in the process?

                      Answer: I have yet to grow up to a great level. If I start worrying about my present image, this and that, then such type of feelings would only mar the prospects of my future growth and in no way would help me attain healthier development!