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Ajith Kumar calls himself an ‘accidental actor', says he never sought fame in the profession

Ajith Kumar calls himself an ‘accidental actor', says he never sought fame in the profession

Hindustan Times01-05-2025
Actor Ajith Kumar was honoured with the Padma Bhushan this week by President Droupadi Murmu. The actor opened up about his journey as an actor in an interview with India Today, where he called himself an 'accidental actor' and shared how he made sure to take the opportunities very seriously. (Also read: Ajith Kumar hospitalised in Chennai after suffering leg injury at airport)
During the interaction, 'Acting was never on my radar. I am an accidental actor. After school, I started working in an auto manufacturing company for about six months. I was 18 when I started racing motorcycles. I remember my father said that it is a very expensive sport and we cannot support you, but you must find your way. I was at the race track when I was approached by a model coordinator who gave me a visiting card and said if I am interested, then give me a call back. Then, before I started realising, I started doing print ads and TV commercials.'
The actor shared that his parents were concerned when he decided to take up acting. 'I told them that I know that I am leaping in the dark. But imagine all those people who want to be in my position and see that I have been approached by a production company and I refused, imagine how angry they would feel… That's how I became an actor. I gave a journalist an answer that I had debts and the idea was to a couple of films and if I did become successful and repay my debts. I didn't come to the industry seeking fame.'
Ajith said he had to crack the audition and land the part. The actor shared that he was sincere and honest with the work he got and worked on his accent in his earlier films, because he was criticised for his anglicised accent.
Ajith made his acting debut in the 1990 Tamil film En Veedu En Kanavar. Telugu film Prema Pusthakam was his first lead role. Ajith was recently seen in Good Bad Ugly. The film performed well at the box office.
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