I’m not in competition with anybody: Ajith

He’s referred to as the undisputed king of opening. And he’s one star who lets his films do the talking in preference to him. He’s also hailed as a gentleman by co-stars and a cool cook.Thala Ajith celebrated his 41st birthday on May 1 and did a handy guide a rough retrospection with Coimbatore Times of his 20-year career, passions and more. Listed below are some excerpts from the interview:

It’s been TWENTY YEARS and 50 films. How has the adventure been so far?No regrets. Yes, I'VE made good decisions, bad decisions; done good films, bad films. I’ve met some wonderful people and been through some very traumatic experiences but I SUPPOSE that’s what’s made me the person who I'M today. So definitely, no regrets. I'VE become a fatalist in life so I don’t attempt to set goals. I FEEL life is a present and that i wish to live it productively. I'M REALLY NOT into this numbers game. IT'S NOT THAT I AM in competition with anybody; I just need to be productive. It’s so simple as that.

Is there any role you're feeling you haven’t explored yet or want to do?I believe on this saying that ‘in every grain of rice, our name is written’. Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be, so why fret? What's now, is what it is.

Do you're feeling that way in regards to the films you sign now?If all of us knew what the formula was, everybody would have a 100 per cent strike rate. It’s all about things falling into place. There are such a lot of factors that influence the best way a movie is made and such a lot of explanation why a movie is made, sometimes even for the inaccurate reasons. It’s a mixture. You can’t be generic about this question.

So what's your criterion for selecting to do a film?My compatibility with the producer and director first. If I can’t vibe well with them for 5 minutes, there’s no way I WILL spend 50 days of my life with them and vice-versa. Regardless of how much they're willing to pay or not pay, compatibility is a vital issue for me.

And what concerning the script?The script is very important too. The overall call is usually with the producer and director. I never, ever interfere. I COULD improvise a definite scene however the right of refusal lies with my producer and director.

I read somewhere that ‘Ajith tends to talk his mind which sometimes lands him in controversies’. What’s your tackle this?I am pretty expressive with my emotions. I don’t think something and say something else. I don’t know if it’s something I must be pleased with or to observe out for. Maybe I'M REALLY NOT politically correct. I don’t know if that’s a crime.

As far as Bollywood goes, you probably did only Asoka. Was it a conscious decision to not do Hindi films?I don’t think such a lot in foresight, I just live for the instant. Honestly, nothing happened. Maybe Asoka happened because Santosh Sivan wanted me to be part of it can be. nothing serious came after that, so why worry about it or regret it? I'M happy.

Vijay said that he and also you were friends off-screen and any apparent rivalry was only on-screen. Is that true of everyone within the industry?I am sure that’s true for everybody. Sangeetha and Shalini bond really well and our youngsters spend time together. Professionally also we're just about set. I don’t see what the issue is. It hurts me to peer fans posting very lewd comments about one another. I AM HOPING it stops. It’s appalling for a standard person to peer such comments on social networking sites. Professional competition will always be there between different genres of actors. But to make personal, lewd comments, it doesn’t go down well. That are meant to stop. Whoever does it first, can be looked upon.

Shah Rukh thinks very highly of you, are you friends?I respect him as an actor; he’s come from very humble beginnings to be where he's today. From what I saw through the making of Asoka, he’s extremely hardworking. It’s a high quality which I LIKE in people. We haven’t really kept in contact but he did call me after we were in Mumbai shooting for Mankatha.

You have seen numerous ups and downs through the years. How supportive has your wife been? Shalini was an especially successful actress herself.She’s been extremely supportive. It’s an overly cliched thing to mention that she’s my biggest critic, but to be very honest, she has given me the liberty to take my very own decisions without seeking to influence me or interfere in anyway. I’m happy that I'VE a spouse who believes in me. But, yes, I let her share her doubts and that i seek her opinion on what she feels. I value her opinion. When things are going well, lots of people need to be part of it, everyone wants a work of the cake. But if we undergo traumatic experiences, there are only a few individuals who stand by you favor friends and family. She’s been there always and we have now been married for 12 years. In fact, on April 24, we completed 12 years of married life. I’m not a very easy person to live with. (Smiles)

In your last interview with CT, you said that you just preferred keeping your natural grey. Does that also hold good?A lot of credit for that goes to Venkat Prabhu. It’s crucial for a director to be ballsy enough to say, ‘I’m ok with you coming as your natural self’. The credit goes to him as he believed within the script and said, ‘I don’t mind my protagonist playing his age’. Again, for Vishnu’s film, I’ll be playing my age and we've a stylist on board who will give me an overly different look from Mankatha. I’m looking ahead to it.

Your next film is with the unique Billa team – Vishnuvardhan and Nayanthara.I stay up for working with Vishnu. Mr Rathnam, the producer, needs no introduction. There are numerous expectations. We plan to release the film this Deepavali. I THINK Arya may be on board. We're just looking forward to the official announcement from the producer. After this, I start the Vijaya Productions’ film with Siruthai Siva.

The rumour is that you're doing a film with Gautham Menon.No comments.

You have numerous passions rather then cinema. Racing played a large role for your life and also you took breaks in between from movies to concentrate on that. Do you think was an even move?As I told you, no regrets. I indulged in things that I NEEDED to do. Racing was something I indulged in even before I became an actor. I’m fortunate enough to was in a position to pursue something that I dreamt of and made it a reality instead of spend my twilight years sitting in a rocking chair and thinking, ‘I wish I MAY have done that’. I'M happy that I fulfilled my dreams. Aeromodelling again is something I did before I came into films. I'VE certificates once I was an NCC cadet in 1983-84, where it says I'M superb at aeromodelling and rifle shooting. You know, boys may be boys. I don’t think it’s something special. I didn’t let the kid in me die, it’s still alive!

Are you cheerful with what you achieved in racing?Yes, on the subject of my very own abilities, I'M proud of what I'VE achieved. Given the truth that I BEGAN very late, with 15 surgeries and five on my spine alone, and to have participated on the highest level apart from Formula 1, that is Formula 2. I BELIEVE with my abilities, I'VE performed exceptionally well. I'M very proud. Now, F1 has come to India and we've two F1 drivers – Narain Karthikeyan and Karun Chandhok. We now have an F1 Indian team and Armaan Ebrahim. Who would have thought a decade earlier that F1 would come to India? I’m not looking to stake claim, but motorsports is growing in our country and i'm happy to join it in some way.

Do you've got any plans of having back to racing?It’s not on my radar right now, but I don’t know what the longer term holds.

You even have yet one more passion that is cooking. Your co-stars and unit members always rave about the way you cooked them a pleasant meal, especially biryani. How did it start?Obviously, our mother made sure all of the boys knew cooking. We might help her out during summer vacations. She would teach us how you can roll chapattis and cook curries. That’s how we learnt. My father could also be a really perfect cook. Our get-togethers are such that our parents come and cook and all of us serve ourselves. It’s never been that we call guests and get food from outside. I SUPPOSE that sort of rubbed off on us. Even if I call my friends over today, I ensure I cook a meal for them. I remember the fact that I BEGAN cooking on sets long ago in 1995-96. And that i wish to thank all folks that tweeted and spoke highly about my cooking.

Is biryani your signature dish?I am COMFORTABLE WITH cooking anything. I'VE a habit – once I visit a cafe and if I LOVE something I’ve eaten, I request the chef to share the recipe. I be sure I then check it out at home, before I make it for guests.

Any resolutions to your birthday?No resolutions, but only a request to all my fans and those that has been following me for 20 years, feel free and live and let live!