Ajith
the teenage hero who hit the bulls-eye with 'Kathal
Kottai' and was tipped to be the next top draw, found
himself
s
liding
down from the top. A series of bad films and to top it
all he had a bad back restricting
him from doing dances and fights. His girlfriend Heera
had walked out on him. His business venture of
distributing films landed him in debts. He chose to
stick it out on the wrong side of the trade union war
and the big guys and majority disowned him. All the
big banners claimed he was not saleable and was
drifting away. A guy who was a truant in his work is
today having the best of films. Rajiv Menon's 'Kandukonden Kandukonden',
'Nee
Varuvaai Ena', 'Mughavari' are those in
the pipeline while films released are 'Valee' followed
by 'Anandapoongakatre' by Rajkapoor. Ajith speaks
about his new lease of life and his future.
With
the success of 'Unaithedi' you seem to be back in
reckoning with offers once again coming your way?
More
than the success of 'Unaithedi' I think it's the
message that I am dedicated to my work that has
endeared me to the producers. When I had a bad back I
was still shooting for the film and went in a
wheelchair to the dubbing theatre. I was determined to
show that I am serious about my work and today that is
what has got me the offers. I think a success of a
film industry. With the release of 'Valee' I am going
to be recognised as an actor. I am speaking to you
before the release of the film and I am confident of
its success because I can sense a good film. I told
the director Surya that at the 100th day of the film I
will gift him a car and today after being doubly
positive of the film I have got him a Santro. After
the release of 'Valee' no one will come to me with
meaningless scripts.
You
cannot pass on the blame to the directors because you
too heard them and accepted it?
Yes,
quite right but then when everybody comes to you with
bad scripts then what choice do you have? Now I have
the best in terms of scripts. No one will come to me
with scripts that are not well crafted because they
will realise that I am capable of something more than
what they think of. I am back here with a vengeance
and shamelessly I want to announce that I want to be
at the top.
How
come your physical, mental and economic problems have
not affected your career?
I never let these problems affect my performance. When
I was in front of the camera I never thought about it
but when away from the public eye and in the company
of friends I cried. I never wept in front of my
so-called well wishers because I did not want them to
see my sorrow. I then realised that only work, work
and more work will make me get to the top slot. Work
is worship and today it has paid off. Today work has
become an obsession to me. I have settled my debts and
come out of it.
Career
is looking up. The traumatic period has taught me a
lesson where I know who my friends are.
Now
that you are back with a vengeance then probably you
might like to teach your enemies a few lessons.
I
am not bitter to anyone. I see it as a part of growing
up. What hurt me most was when people who I thought
were friends ditched me. I can understand film folk
saying nasty things about me because its rivalry. I
don't blame anybody for what happened and I am not for
any emotional outburst. I only want to show to those
who ditched me that the loss is theirs and not mine.
Some tried to mend fences but then its too late.
In
most films you do it is a dual hero subject. Is it
wise to do so when the industry rates a hero by his
capacity to pull in crowds single-handedly?
R
B Chowdary's 'Nee Varuvaya' is the last subject that I
am doing as a double hero and for the next two years I
will not be doing any twin hero subject The reason
being I want to concentrate on my individual
performance. All the same, films that I accepted as
twin hero like 'Anandapoogatre' is because of Karthik
who is a good friend and its director Rajkapoor, Rajiv
Menon's film has two national award winners Mamooty
and Tabu along with Aishwarya Rai and I want to be
associated with such a team.
You
always took pride in giving new directors a break but
they only let you down. So you may shift to
established directors I presume after C Sundar's 'Unnaithedi'?
In
1997 all new directors who worked with me gave me
flops but in 1999 I can tell you that 'Valee' will
shock the industry and the system. A new director
Surya is going to shock the filmdom and he deserved a
car no doubt. This is my year and the new guys who
will work with me are going to give it with a bang. No
one can snatch it from me now.
What
about matters of the heart?
I
have to meet someone who is compatible with me and the
search continues but then career is first now.
Probably
no more industry girls?
Not
that way. If the girl is not from the industry then
she could be suspicious of you. Just because of Heera
I should not classify each and everyone like her. Even
today I respect Heera as an individual and we decided
to go on with our lives. Today I have friends like
Chakravarthy who is producing 'Valee' and he is a
friend who stood by my side throughout the problems
and even when the industry banned me. I am proud to be
his friend. With the right friends and scripts, 1999
is mine.
Source :
Indiatalkies
1999