The rise of the biggest style icon in Tamil cinema

Pic Info : Ajith in the Movie Billa

Ajith is the perfect gentleman an actor any producer would love to sign up with. He picks scripts and patiently waits for producers to decide the date of his advance payment. Once that is done, he does not interfere with a single aspect of the production. He reads the script reports to the sets when needed, gives his shots, and packs up.

Calm, highly cultured and very professional. No one recalls a single event where he has called any producer and threatened not to report for a shoot if his cheque was not on the table. There is one single most admirable quality about him that makes him the darling of all production houses he believes he is here to act. Period. He would never walk up to any technician and ask them to work in any specific way. He never talks out of line with his producers, and never recommends any female lead either. His films generate good business, and distributers always lap them up on the day the films are announced.

Ask any producer in the tamil film industry, and they will agree in unison that they would give single cheque payments to the actor. He has a long list of producers and directors at his doorstep, and his calendar is packed for the next two years. He can say no to the biggest names on the scene, but they still love him.

With ‘Billa’ he will rise and conquer the silver screen. He will reinvent style in tamil cinema, and turn into the superstar of the south he is sporting the most stylish and debonair look ever seen in a tamil film, and will take the throne that most actors dream of sitting on.

Film critics began writing him off, several times in his career spanning 15 years. But the actor has proved them wrong, and once ‘Billa’ is released , many will have to eat their words; for someone who does not meet the press, has no publicity agent or manger and no political friends, his position in the film industry is truly commendable.

He only allows his work to speak for itself. It certainly is as is he a much sought after actor. He also has the largest fan following, who call him ‘Thalai’ from his hit film ‘Dheena’.

Pic Info : Ajith in the Movie Billa

Ajith entered the film industry with a telugu film titled ‘Prema Pustagam’ which was a big hit. It was followed by ‘Amaravathy’ (Tamil) in the year 1992. The vasanth directed ‘Aasai’(1995) gave him a big break , and this heralded his arrival in tamil cinema .

His last blockbuster was ‘Godfather’ for which he picked up The Best Actor award from the state and film fare. Besides this, he has been awarded two other film fare awards, the Kalaimamani award in 2000, with several others to his credit.

‘Billa’ his 46th release has been sold to pyramid saimara for a record Rs. 20 crores, and will rake in record collections as well. Soon after this his film business will reach another whopping figure of Rs.30 crores . He would have created history if his film had been slated for a Diwali release, which would have gotten a record opening. Fans and the film industry are disappointed, but the wait will be worth it.

There are many faces to the actor that people do not know about, he is an expert bowler, and represented, his school cricket team, he also loves playing badminton. And of course there is racing, his first love, which he had to quit due to health issues.

Wonder what makes him special? Well, He has no Godfather in the film industry and is one of the highest paid actors in the country today. He got paid Rs.390 for his first film ‘Amaravathy’ and today his remuneration amounts to Rs.3crores and his star is still rising. He can take sole credit for his climb to the top.

The making of ‘Billa’ is complete, and is stated for a November 30 release, so he has a lot of time on his hands this Diwali. The actor, is his norm, plans to spend the day with few close friends along with his family.

He loves cooking, and prepares whatever he can for his near and dear ones when he is not shooting. There will be a quiet dinner. And his delicacies will probably grace the table on Diwali for everyone to enjoy!

By Swarupa Pillaai for The Hindu