Happy Birthday AK: Here Is Why Ajith Kumar Proves He Is More Than Just An Actor

Here are the five reasons why Ajith Kumar is more than just an actor.

As our “Thala”, oops no, Ajith Kumar a.k.a “AK” turns a year older, here is looking at five reasons that prove that he is beyond just a successful actor.

Looking Beyond Stardom

'Aasai Nayagan', 'Lucky Star', 'Ultimate Star', 'Thala' to now simply 'Ajith Kumar' -the monikers of Ajith Kumar might have changed over the years but he has not changed one bit. He had requested his fans, the public and the media to refer to him just by his name not as Thala or along with any other prefix before his name. Ajith's PRO Suresh Chandra tweeted a note confirming the same. The actor earlier in 2011 dismantled his fan clubs.

He Pushes Through Challenges

Ajith Kumar is known to be a hard worker. The universe hinted at it for he was born on May 1, Labour day.

Right from his debut film “Amaravathi” to the latest release “Valimai”, with sheer persistence and talent, he has worked his way up to transform from a novice young actor to a celebrated veteran star.

Despite meeting with serious accidents and undergoing several spine, legs, shoulders and knee surgeries in the last 15 years, he has overcome horrific tragedies which proves that the throne he dons right now is in his fans’ hearts. In Billa 2, he hangs out of a helicopter at 10,000 feet. In Valimai, he suffered multiple injuries while shooting risky bike racing stunt sequences.

Elusive Stardom and Social Responsibility

There is an aura around the ultimate star. Though he refrains from public appearances and film promotional activities. He is not just a star to his fans, but rather a brother who advises, a philanthropist who helps and a role model who inspires. Though he has his personal boundaries set, his love for his fans has never seen any boundaries. The motorsport enthusiast often sports full protective gear and bike suits on-screen and off-screen to create awareness about riding safely and also emphasise the need to wear helmets.

Inspiring Fans as a Philanthropist

Ajith had donated a sum of around Rs 1.25 crore towards the coronavirus relief fund when the pandemic hit the country. According to reports, Ajith has donated Rs 50 lakh each towards the Prime Minister’s fund and Tamil Nadu CM’s Fund while another Rs 25 lakh has gone towards the welfare of the Film Employees Federation of South India (FEFSI).

Not Just an Actor But a Racer and an Expert Educational Consultant

Starting out as a bike mechanic, his passion of becoming a racer was ignited. He is a professional racer too. He is one among very few Indians to race in the International arena and in Formula championships. He drove in the 2003 Formula Asia BMW Championships and after almost a six-year sabbatical, he raced in the 2010 Formula 2 Championship.

In 2020, the actor mentored the students from IIT Madras, team Daksha to design a high-capacity drone that helped the government to spray disinfectants across a large area of land. The project revolved around the development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and how they are utilized in societal applications. The first UAV that the team had designed won second place in the Australian UAV challenge and was used to deliver medicine by air to places where human travel was not possible during the COVID-19 times. He advises his fans to put their time to best use instead of indulging in hero-worship wars on social media and constantly inspires them as a living example.

Upcoming Projects of Ajith Kumar

On the professional front, Ajith Kumar will play a dual role in H Vinoth's directorial venture which is tentatively titled AK61. Bay View Projects LLP and Zee Studios have collaborated for the film. The title is expected to be revealed as his birthday present.

Post the film with H Vinoth, Ajith will be working with Vignesh Shivan for his next film AK62. Meanwhile, there are rumours about his future project collaborating with filmmaker Siva for AK63.