Did you know that Ajith Kumar began his alternate career in racing at the age of 32, and his biggest supporter is none other than his wife, Shalini? Read on to know more.
Kollywood’s ‘Thala’, Ajith Kumar enjoys a lot of fan following and is one of the most bankable actors in South Indian cinema. The actor par excellence, Ajith made his acting debut with the film, En Veedu En Kanavar in 1990. But it was the film, Aasai, that brought him a lot of praise and applause. Hailed for his intense acting chops, Ajith proved his versatility with films like Amarkalam, Mugavaree, Citizen, Villain, Poovellam Un Vasam, Varalaru, Billa, Mankatha, Arrambam, Veeram, and Yennai Arindhaal.
Ajith is one of the most successful actors in Tamil cinema. As per a report in Forbes India, Ajith is among the highest-paid actors in India, as he reportedly charges an estimated sum of Rs. 105 crores for one film. On the personal front, Ajith is married to Shalini, and together, they are proud parents to two kids, Anoushka and Aadvik.
Besides acting, Ajith Kumar is also a racing driver and has been competing in various races. He is among the few Indians to race in the international circuits and in FIA championships. Ajith’s passion for racing started at the age of 18 when he rode motorcycles. Talking about his love for racing, the actor stated:
“I was 18 when I started racing motorcycles back home in India; then I got busy with work. I got into the film industry, and later, in 2002, when I was 32, I decided to get back into racing. But not in motorcycles, in four-wheelers. I raced in national championships in India before competing internationally. But I could only do a few of them due to work commitments.”
In 2002, Ajith participated in the Formula Maruti Indian Championship and finished in fourth place. After a break of six years, Ajith participated in FIA Formula Two Championship. Ajith also participated in various races abroad, including Germany and Malaysia.
It was in 2025, after 15 years, when Ajith Kumar debuted in the FIA 24H Series along with his newly formed team, Ajith Kumar Racing. It was Ajith's dream debut, and he also shed 25 kgs in the race. It was one of the most spectacular moments for Ajith as his team secured third place in the 991 category, and he also received the Spirit of the Race recognition in the GT4 category.
Though Ajith has been following his passion for racing, his biggest cheerleader is his wife, Shalini. She has always been sported, praying and cheering for her husband from the stands. When Ajith launched his own racing team, Ajith Kumar Racing, Shalini shared a screenshot of the brochure of Ajith and penned a sweet note, which could be read as:
“It’s great to see you back as a racing driver, doing what you love. Wishing you and your team a safe and successful racing career ahead!”
When Ajith Kumar’s team secured the third position in the Dubai 24H car race, the actor hugged and planted a kiss on his wife, Shalini. Not just this, in his thank you speech, he owed his success success to fellow drivers and cutely thanked his wife too as he said:
“Shalu, thank you for letting me race.”
It was 1999, during the shooting sets of the film, Amarkalam, when the protagonist actor, Ajith, was given a scene to perform opposite his co-star, Shalini. During the scene, the hero, Ajith, pretends to injure the heroine, Shalini’s hand, with a knife to scare her. However, the actor accidentally cut her hand with a knife and ended up hurting her.
Ajith took care of Shalini during the entire film’s shoot, which impressed her, and she fell in love with him. The couple had kept their romance under wraps and hid it from the limelight of the media. As per reports, Ajith had avoided face-to-face meetings with the actress as her parents used to accompany her on the sets. In 2000, Ajith and Shalini began their forever journey by tying the marital knot, and they are now proud parents of two kids.
Just like a true better half, Shalini believed in Ajith’s dreams and let him chase them. Through the highs and lows, she stood by him with her unwavering trust and support.
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