|
Source:
“Ungal Ajith”
November
2003
The
shooting of “Anjaneya” is over now and the one of
“ Jee” has started from only a short while. So, we
couldn’t know further about this film. So, we
decided to go and meet Ajith in order to know further
about how he keeps himself fit. Here are his answers
to our questions:
How
do you manage to put some time aside to keeep yourself
fit?
I have a personnal coach who comes home every morning
to advise me on what I should do to keep myself fit.
Moreover, I often go jogging. I play badminton and I
swim every evening. I’m training since I have been
participating to races, in order to make my
performances better. Generally, I do sport two hours a
day. You can’t achieve success in life if you
don’t do any sport.
How
did you get used to do sport?
I
got used to it since my school days. I’m used to go
boating at “The Madras Boat Club” and to go
jogging in the neighbourhood of this Club. It is an
habit since 5 or 6 yeras now. I think that these
activities have helped me to bear the injuries that I
had and the surgeries that I underwent afterwards.
In
which other
ways has sport helped you?
Even now, sport helps me a lot. It permits me to be
fit during the international car races in which I take
part. Thanks to sport, I have stamina. It also helps
me in the sense that it permits me to do the fight
scenes of my films without too much difficulties.
Could
you tell us to what extent has the diet, that you
follow since several years now, changed?
Since I have been interested in races, I’m avoiding
oily food
and
I’m having
a healthy diet. I favour green vegetables. I drink a
bowl of vegetable soup each day. I have read in some
books that “Whatever you eat, you can easily digest
it when you’re young”. But as the time passes,
when your way of life changes and when you reduce
physical activities, it’s better to eat healthy food.
I’m
used to travel in A.C cars and when I have some free
time during the out door shootings, I
usually take rest in caravans. We burn only a
restricted number of calories each day. So, I must
watch my waistline.
Do
you have some difficulties following your diet?
Generally, I don’t eat meat. But sometimes, when I
go to a restaurant and that there are “special
mutton or beef meals”, I can’t help eating it. I
am mad about “ masala” dishes. However, I try
to keep it off as far as possible. Fortunatly,
I’m not very fond of sweets.
Do
you eat some special food to stay in good health?
Not at all. I took some vitamin tablets for some time
after the operation that I had on my spinal column.
And I followed the advise the doctor gave me as
regards diet. Apart from it, I don’t eat anything
special.
Which
thing related to your health are you the most proud
of?
Some time ago, I used to drink. At least three times a
week. But now, I drink only once every month or once
every three months. And I don’t use “hot drinks”
anymore, only beer. Furthermore, I have only one beer.
Which
thing related to
your health do you fear the most?
I am scared when I think about the actual condition of
Christopher Reeves. Not long ago, he was Superman on
the screen. He had “healthy” hobbies such as
piloting and horse riding. He has taken part in horse
races and he excelled in it. But, unfortunatly, he had
an accident one day. He was seriously injured at his
spinal column. Today, he has to rely on the others to
live. I have the strenght to bear any pain. But I
certainly couldn’t
suffer counting on the others to live.
As
an actor and as a racer, you have certainly taken many
risks, on several occassions, in your life. Could you
tell us a little more about it?
Not in my films. Until today, the fear of danger has
never stopped me from taking
part in car races. And it will never happen.
I’m not the kind to shrink from the risks. I have
undergone many surgeries. Only one month ago, I broke
a joint while I was doing a fight scene. But on every
occassion, I stand up again and I go on my way with
still more determination than before. We generally don’t weight up our capacities. But, for my part,
I perfectly know mine. That’s why I could go back on
the shooting spot of Vaalee
to shoot the climax scene, only three weeks after I
had an operation on my spine.
Which
are the disappointements that you had in your career?
I
have to show what I am capable of doing in each of my
films. When one of my films flops, it means that fans
didn’t like it, even if I’ve shown
all my talents in that film. People don’t
know how difficult it is to make a film. But I’m
very casual about successes and failures. And I have a
formula for it: when I succeed in something, I say to
myself that I can do it. And when I fail in something,
I say to myself that I’m also capable of doing it.
Nothing is permanent in life.
How
do you do to control anger?
Anger
can destroy us. It’s always when we go through
difficulties, when we have a problem that we usually
get angry. Whatever the problem is, whatever the
missunderstanting is, just forget it for a little
while and you’ll see that your anger would have
vanished within two days. A few years ago, I used to
get easily nervous and angry for things of little
importance. But today, many people tell me that I’ve
changed a lot. Yes. I don’t wish to spoil a day of my
life by losing my temper too quickly.
At
the time I was a short-temperd person, I lost many of
my friends. Sometimes, I’ve regreted it and sometimes, I
didn’t care about it. I had a Muslim friend which
I’ve lost because of my quick-temperd character.
Even now, I sometimes think about the happy times we
spent togheter at that time. Our friendship ended
because of a missunderstanding.
What
are you the most proud of?
My film career. I’m proud of all I achieved within
the past ten years in my career. And I am also proud
of taking part in
car races at the international level. One day,
I’ll become the Number One in car racing too.
How
do you manage to balance your professional career and
your family life?
I have a policy for that: I don’t take the problems
accumulated in the shooting spot with me when I come
back home after work and vice versa. When I have to go
shooting to a foreign country, I take Shalini along
with me. At home, we play badminton together. We both
have the same coach. So, we can spend a lot of time
together. We both have the same centres of interest.
There’s not any problem between us because we
perfectly understand each other.
What
is your “recipe” to reduce tension?
There’s only one way to succeed in it: to practice
a sport.
Which
are your likings as regards clothing?
I have no particular likings as regards clothing. But
I give a lot of importance to formal dresses. Women are
lucky in that bacause they can find a great variety of
formal dresses. But, there’s not much selection of
formal dresses for men. I like black colour very much.
I generally choose black suits.
If
you had to choose only one thing among all the things
you have, what would it be?
I would choose my bike. It’s one of the things I
like the most.
What
is your life policy?
“Live,
let live”
Translated
by Kavitha.
|