Ajith Kumar is an Indian actor who works mainly in Tamil cinema. Apart from a small role in the 1990 Tamil film En Veedu En Kanavar,[1] his professional career began three years later with his debut as a lead actor in Tamil cinema with Amaravathi (1993). Despite being a moderate success, the film helped him obtain more modelling assignments. He followed it up the same year with Prema Pusthakam, his only Telugu film till date.[2][3] After AmaravathiTemplate:'s release, Ajith opted against acting, and instead tried pursuing a career in auto racing. While training for an amateur race, he injured his back and underwent three major surgeries, leaving him bed-ridden for a year and a half.[4] After recovering from the injury, he played supporting roles in Paasamalargal (1994) and Pavithra (1994). [4][5] After this, he co-starred with Vijay in Rajavin Parvaiyile (1995). That same year, he had his breakthrough with the romantic thriller Aasai. His performance earned him critical acclaim and established him as an up-and-coming actor in Tamil cinema.
He was next seen as the main lead in Agathiyan's epistolary Kadhal Kottai (1996), a critical and commercial success.[4] In 1997, he had five releases, all of which were commercial failures.[3] Ajith's dual portrayal of twin brothers—where one is deaf-mute—in S. J. Suryah's Vaalee (1999) won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor. Impressed with his performance in that film, Rajiv Menon cast Ajith in the ensemble drama Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) which was also commercial and critical success.[3][6] The following year, he collaborated with debutant director AR Murugadoss on the action film Dheena. The film was successful in establishing his reputation as an action hero and earning him the nickname "Thala" ("head").[7]Template:Efn He earned critical acclaim for his dual role performance in the vigilante film Citizen (2001),[8] and the film was commercial success.[9] and a Best Actor nomination at Filmfare for the drama Poovellam Un Vasam (2001). His last release of the year was Santosh Sivan's Hindi film Aśoka, where he played a brief antagonistic role opposite Shah Rukh Khan.[10][11] His dual-role performance as twin brothers in K. S. Ravikumar's film Villain (2002) won him a second Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor.[12]
Between 2003 and 2005, Ajith cut back on his acting career to focus on his racing career.[13] During this time, he had his only commercial success with Attahasam (2004).[14][15] Two years later he starred in Ravikumar's Varalaru, in which he played three different roles. It became the highest-grossing Tamil film of that year,[16] and Ajith went on to receive his third Best Tamil Actor award at Filmfare for his performance. In 2007 he was seen in two remakesTemplate:MdashKireedam and Billa,Template:Efn both of which were big box office hits.[16] His next two releases, Aegan (2008) and Aasal (2010), were critical and commercial failures.[17]
Ajith played an antihero—as a money-minded, suspended police officer—in Venkat Prabhu's Mankatha (2011).[17]Template:Efn It had the biggest opening of that year for a Tamil film,Template:Efn and became Ajith's biggest commercial success to that point.[18] His next release, Billa II (2012), Tamil cinema's first prequel,Template:Efn opened to mixed reviews.[19][20] He followed that with the multi-starrer Arrambam (2013) and Siva's masala film Veeram (2014), both of which were commercially successful.[21] In 2015 he collaborated with Gautham Vasudev Menon for the crime thriller Yennai Arindhaal.[22][23] His performance as an undercover police officer earned him a Best Tamil Actor nomination at the 63rd Filmfare Awards South.[24] His second release of the year, Vedalam, had the biggest opening day in Tamil cinema and was among the highest grossing Tamil films of the year.[7]
Film
- All films are in Tamil, unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Role(s) | Notes | Template:Abbr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | En Veedu En Kanavar | School boy | Child artist | [25] |
| 1993 | Amaravathi | Arjun | [26] [27] | |
| Prema Pusthakam | Sreekar | Telugu film | [5] [28] | |
| 1994 | Paasamalargal | Kumar | [5] | |
| Pavithra | Ashok | [29] | ||
| 1995 | Rajavin Parvaiyile | Chandru | Cameo appearance | [5] |
| Aasai | Jeevanantham | [30] | ||
| 1996 | Vaanmathi | Krishna | [31] | |
| Kalloori Vaasal | Vasanth | [32] | ||
| Minor Mappillai | Ramu | [5] | ||
| Kadhal Kottai | Surya | [5] | ||
| 1997 | Nesam | Ranganathan | [5] | |
| Raasi | Kumar | [5] | ||
| Ullaasam | Guru | [5] | ||
| Pagaivan | Prabhu | [5] | ||
| Rettai Jadai Vayasu | Vijay | [5] | ||
| 1998 | Kaadhal Mannan | Shiva | [33] | |
| Aval Varuvala | Jeeva | [5] | ||
| Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen | Sanjay | Cameo appearance | [5] | |
| Uyirodu Uyiraga | Ajay | [34] | ||
| 1999 | Thodarum | Jayaram | [35] | |
| Unnai Thedi | Raghu | [36] | ||
| Vaalee | Shiva, DevaTemplate:Efn | [37] [38] | ||
| Anantha Poongatre | Jeeva | [5] | ||
| Amarkalam | Vasu | [39] | ||
| Nee Varuvai Ena | Subramani | Cameo appearance | [5] | |
| 2000 | Mugavaree | Sridhar | [40] | |
| Kandukondain Kandukondain | Manohar | [41] | ||
| Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuven | Surya | [42] | ||
| 2001 | Dheena | Dheenadhayalan (Thala)Template:Efn | [43] | |
| Citizen | Citizen, SubramaniTemplate:Efn | [44] | ||
| Poovellam Un Vasam | Chinna | [45] [46] | ||
| Aśoka | Susima | Hindi film | [47] [28] | |
| 2002 | Red | Red | [48] | |
| Raja | Raja | [49] | ||
| Villain | Shiva, VishnuTemplate:Efn | [12] [50] | ||
| 2003 | Ennai Thalatta Varuvala | Sathish | Cameo appearance | [51] |
| Anjaneya | ACP Paramaguru | [52] | ||
| 2004 | Jana | Janarthanan | [53] | |
| Attahasam | Guru, JeevaTemplate:Efn | [54] | ||
| 2005 | Ji | Vasu | [55] | |
| 2006 | Paramasivan | Subramaniyam Siva (Paramasivan)Template:Efn | [56] | |
| Thirupathi | Thirupathi | [57] | ||
| Varalaru | Jeeva, Shivashankar, VishnuTemplate:Efn | [58] [59] | ||
| 2007 | Aalwar | Shiva | [60] | |
| Kireedam | Sakthivel | [61] | ||
| Billa | David Billa, SaravanaveluTemplate:Efn | [62] [63] | ||
| 2008 | Aegan | Shiva | [64] | |
| 2010 | Aasal | Jeevanantham, ShivaTemplate:Efn | Also screenwriter | [65] [66] |
| 2011 | Mankatha | Vinayak Mahadev | [67] [68] | |
| 2012 | Billa II | David Billa | [69] | |
| English Vinglish | Flight Passenger | Tamil version of the Hindi filmTemplate:Efn Cameo appearance |
[70] | |
| 2013 | Arrambam | Ashok Kumar | [71] [72] | |
| 2014 | Veeram | Vinayagam | [73] [74] | |
| 2015 | Yennai Arindhaal | Sathyadev | [75] [76] | |
| Vedalam | Ganesh (Vedalam)Template:Efn | [77] | ||
| 2017 | Vivegam | Ajay Kumar (AK)Template:Efn | [78] | |
| 2019 | Viswasam | Thookku Durai | [79] | |
| Nerkonda Paarvai | Bharath Subramaniam | [80] | ||
| 2022 | Valimai | ACP Arjun Kumar IPS | [81] | |
| 2023 | Thunivu | Dark Devil | [82] |
See also
Notes
References
- ↑ What's Ajith's actual film debut?. The Times of India(9 May 2014).
- ↑ Nine days and a killer wave: the story behind Ajith's 'Prema Pusthakam'. The Hindu(30 April 2018).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Pyar to hona hi tha, Rajitha. Rediff.com(15 September 1999).
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bad back, great future, Warrier, Shobha. Rediff.com(6 July 1999).
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 அஜித் 56; 'காதல் புத்தகம்' முதல் 'வேதாளம்' வரை. Ananda Vikatan(28 November 2015).
- ↑ Thalapathi' to 'Iruvar': A look at multi-starrer films in Tamil cinema. The Times of India(2 August 2018). Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 A cracker of an opening. The Hindu(14 November 2015).
- ↑ Talk of the town. The Hindu(29 December 2000).
- ↑ Ajith's Top 10 Hits, S Saraswathi(5 February 2015). Retrieved 22 June 2021.
- ↑ It's all about choices. The Hindu(24 August 2007).
- ↑ I'm not in competition with anybody: Ajith. The Times of India(1 May 2012).
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Ajit, Simran bag Filmfare awards. The Times of India(17 May 2003).
- ↑ A for attitude. The Hindu(24 November 2003).
- ↑ Racing to be a Superstar. The Hindu(9 June 2004).
- ↑ Ajith tastes success!, Poornima. Rediff.com(23 November 2004).
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Ajith's Top 10 Hits, Saraswathi, S.. Rediff.com(5 February 2015).
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 What's on the cards?. The Hindu(16 July 2011).
- ↑ Mankatha takes best opening of 2011. Sify(2 September 2011).
- ↑ Find out who's who of Tamil film 'Billa 2'. News18(15 July 2012).
- ↑ 'Billa 2': The art of telling a story backwards. The New Indian Express(18 June 2012).
- ↑ 'Veeram' Review Roundup: Complete Masala Entertainer for Ajith's Fans. International Business Times(11 January 2014).
- ↑ I am dying to work with Ajith again. Bangalore Mirror(17 February 2015).
- ↑ Yennai Arindhaal got positive reviews from critics and audience alike. International Business Times(16 February 2015).
- ↑ Acham Enbathu Madamaiyada, A Medley Of Filmmaker Gautham Menon's Favourite Motifs, Sundaram, Nandhu. Outlook(22 November 2016).
- ↑ Tamil celebrities who worked as child artists. The Times of India(4 August 2015).
- ↑ Fair source of entertainment. The Indian Express(11 June 1993).Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Ajith's 50th film launched. Rediff.com(6 August 2010).
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 From 'Aasai Nayagan' to 'Thala': Ajith's Career Through Titles, Shivakumar, Vivek. Film Companion(9 August 2019). Retrieved 13 March 2022.Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Many flaws in this sentimental attempt. New Straits Times(19 December 1994). Retrieved 24 October 2020.Template:Cbignore
- ↑ 25 Years of Ajith Kumar: Aasai to Mankatha, a look at the best films of Thala. India Today(3 August 2017). Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ↑ The Star Next Door, Rajitha. Rediff.com(4 April 1997).
- ↑ Grill Mill: Interview with actor-choreographer Kalyan. The Hindu(7 January 2010).
- ↑ தில்லோத்தமா கண் சிமிட்டி, தலை சாய்த்துப் புன்னகைத்ததை மறக்க முடியுமா?!. Ananda Vikatan(6 March 2019). Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ↑ Tuvvi, tuvvi, tuvvi. Deccan Herald(21 February 1999).
- ↑ Film Review. The New Indian Express(25 April 1999).
- ↑ Sundar C. delivers another hit. New Straits Times(6 March 1999). Retrieved 24 October 2020.Template:Cbignore
- ↑ Star-spangled show on cards. The Hindu(15 April 2000).
- ↑ Film Reviews. Deccan Herald(31 May 1999).
- ↑ Revisiting 'Amarkalam', the film that brought Ajith and Shalini together, Rajendran, Sowmya. The News Minute(24 April 2020). Retrieved 13 March 2022.
- ↑ Film Review: Mugavaree. The Hindu(3 March 2000).
- ↑ From the known to the unknown. The Hindu(28 May 2000).
- ↑ Film Review: Unnai Kodu Ennai Tharuvaen. The Hindu(2 June 2000).
- ↑ Film Review: Dheena. The Hindu(2 February 2001).
- ↑ Film Review: Citizen. The Hindu(15 June 2001).
- ↑ The 49th Annual Filmfare Awards – South. Times Internet.
- ↑ Film Review: Poovellam Un Vaasam. The Hindu(24 August 2001).
- ↑ The Emperor's new clothes. The Hindu(25 November 2001).
- ↑ Red, Rangarajan, Malathi. The Hindu(25 January 2002).
- ↑ Raja. The Hindu(12 July 2002).
- ↑ Villain. The Hindu(15 November 2002).
- ↑ Ennai Thalaata Varuvaala. The Hindu(28 March 2003).
- ↑ Anjaneya. The Hindu(7 November 2003).
- ↑ Jana. The Hindu(7 May 2004).
- ↑ Attakasam. Sify(12 November 2004).
- ↑ Ji. The Hindu(18 February 2005).
- ↑ Going in for a much-changed look. The Hindu(20 January 2006).
- ↑ As stale as it gets — Tirupathi. The Hindu(21 April 2006).
- ↑ 54th Filmfare Awards-Tamil. Sify(31 July 2007).
- ↑ In the race, surely — Varalaaru. The Hindu(27 October 2006).
- ↑ Ire and fire all over again – Aazhwar. The Hindu(19 January 2007).
- ↑ Whose crown is it, anyway? – Kireedam. The Hindu(27 June 2007).
- ↑ [{{{url}}} Filmfare Awards – And the nominations are]. The Times of India(29 June 2008).
- ↑ Billa beats boredom. The Hindu(21 March 2007).
- ↑ Stylish sprint again — Aegan. The Hindu(31 October 2008).
- ↑ Not the real thing. The Hindu(12 February 2010).
- ↑ Review: Asal is for Ajith fans, Srinivasan, Pavithra. Rediff.com(5 February 2010).
- ↑ Template:Cite episode
- ↑ A gutsy game!. The Hindu(3 September 2011).
- ↑ Does 'Billa II' beckon?. The Hindu(14 July 2012).
- ↑ English Vinglish: The Queen's Speech. The Hindu(26 October 2012).
- ↑ Arrambam: Mission to "mass". The Hindu(4 November 2013).
- ↑ 61st Idea Filmfare Awards — Complete Nominations List. The Times of India(12 July 2014).
- ↑ Veeram: Generous helping of masala pongal. The Hindu(11 January 2014).
- ↑ Nominations for the 62nd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South). Filmfare(3 June 2015).
- ↑ Nominations for the 63rd Britannia Filmfare Awards (South). Filmfare(7 June 2016).
- ↑ 'Yennai Arindhaal': Ending cop trilogy on a high. The Hindu(5 February 2015).
- ↑ Vedhalam: Pulsating fight scenes, but predictable otherwise. The Hindu(10 November 2015).
- ↑ 'Vivegam' review: Fast without fury. The Hindu(24 August 2017).
- ↑ Viswasam Movie Review. The Times of India(10 January 2019). Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ↑ Nerkonda Paarvai Movie Review: Ajith's integration into this remake is to mixed results. Cinema Express(7 August 2019). Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- ↑ Valimai review: Terrific action in Ajith Kumar film supersedes predictable story, Pudipeddi, Haricharan. Hindustan Times(24 February 2022). Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ↑ Thunivu Movie Review: Ajith Kumar as anti-hero is a treat to watch in this mediocre heist thriller, K, Janani. India Today(11 January 2023). Retrieved 11 January 2023.