‘I have undergone 29 surgeries’: Ajith Kumar

Ajith Kumar is an absolute star, both on and off the screen. His moniker, ‘Thala’, is a testament to his multifaceted personality. The veteran actor is married to industry colleague Shalini, and the couple has two children, Anoushka and Aadvik.

Last seen in Adhik Ravichandran’s runaway hit Good Bad Ugly, Ajith is also deeply engaged in motorsports — he’s a professional racer.

In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, Ajith Kumar reflects on his pulsating life so far, both in reel and real — on and off the tracks.

For Thala, racing is about awareness, not just speed.

“When I crash, my first instinct is to assess the situation — to see if I’m injured, how serious it is, how damaged the car is, and whether I can get going again,” Ajith told THRI.

To the unversed, the actor’s car had flipped several times during the Southern European Cup in Valencia earlier this year.

“After confirming that you and the car are fine, the adrenaline takes over. All you can think about is avoiding a DNF. The only thought in my mind is, ‘I have to finish the race today,’” he says.

In the candid interview, the actor stated that his injuries were never serious enough to force him to miss a practice session or a race. Sharing more details, he told THRI, “I have undergone 29 surgeries” — as part of his cinematic endeavors.

A complete family man, Ajith says he is well aware that it’s not fair to put his loved ones under so much stress.

While admitting that he has had some terrible crashes on the racing track, Ajith feels that they often make headlines because he is also an actor.

Amid all the hustle, the thought of quitting has never crossed the superstar’s mind.

Revealing his philosophical side, he says in the interview, “In life, you can complain, or learn lessons and move on.”

“Being economically sound, you realize what money can or can’t buy... Wealth can make you a monster,” he tells THRI.

However, the highlight of the interview was his take on success:

“Success is like a wild horse. Anybody can hop onto it, but if you can’t tame it, it will throw you off, waiting for the next one to hop on,” the actor told The Hollywood Reporter India.

Ajith Kumar continues to speed through the hurdles of life with unwavering commitment to his craft — both in reel life and on the racing track, cutting through the air with ultimate precision! (With inputs from Agencies)