Narendra Modi

On Ajith Kumar 53rd birthday, a look at the curious case of the reclusive actor, who is haunted by the limelight.

The fact that Ajith Kumar deliberately shuns fan service is something that any ardent admirer of the actor would always take pride in. Their pride is not entirely unjustified, in a sense. Language-based heroes struggle to keep their followings alive through formal organizations or groups. To advance to the “star” category, a hero’s tour must include visits to cities and villages to meet the head of the associations. If the hero decides to take the risk—as Vijay’s Makkal Iyakkam did—these fan groups eventually transform into political organizations. One of these heroes, Ajith, disbanded his fan club in 2011 following the release of Mankatha, the biggest hit of his career.

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Ajith’s reputation as a star in the industry was revived with Mankatha, his 50th film, following a string of box office failures. Trade analysts assert that Mankatha received Rs 100 core, a staggering amount for 2011. Ajith made the unexpected announcement at such a high point in his career.

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The statement read, “I have never used my fans for my gain and will never do so. My fans always have the right to support my films if they are good and criticize them if bad. Many of my fans are not part of my association, and I am aware of that. That’s why I don’t discriminate among my fans. However, group clashes, disobedience, breaking the association’s law, and enforcing their individual opinions as associations’ decisions are some of the issues that have hurdled my functioning. Also, I want my fans to do their duties to their families and the association should not impede that. I also think to do good deeds an association is not mandatory. Due to all such reasons, on May 1, my 40th birthday, I am dissolving Ajith Welfare Association, which was functioning under me.”

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Although it was thought to be a poor decision since it would negatively impact the way his films were received, the actor benefited from the bold choice. It proved to be a brilliant move since Ajith Kumar, who wasn’t interested in attention or notoriety, suddenly rose to prominence. Ajith’s gallant action became just another tool in his vigilante fanbase’s toolbox, which they continued to use to crush opponents in the many online skirmishes that went on long after the association was dissolved.

In contrast to Ajith’s expectation that his fans would redirect their focus to real responsibilities, this move led to the increased popularity of the actor. It also led to many independent fan groups on social media that started to target fans of other actors. In 2017, Ajith had to step in with an official statement to warn against such toxic fandom, when many self-proclaimed fans of the stars started targeting critics and anyone who voiced an opinion against the Tamil star. In a strongly worded statement, Ajith claimed that he hasn’t given authority to any person or association to use his name for any purpose. “Persons misusing our client’s name have also been trolling members of the film industry, journalists, critics, and other individuals. While it is important to identify such miscreants and hold them accountable, our client unconditionally apologizes for any hurt or harm caused,” the statement read. This was perhaps a one-of-its-kind statement from a star against his fans, which again earned him more fans.

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When aggressive marketing has become as important as a script to a film, Ajith vehemently avoids interviews, audio launches, or anything that has to do with the promotion of his films. Of course, he released a one-line statement regarding that stand as well. In 2022, when rumors claimed that Ajith would be promoting his film Thunivu, he directed his publicist Suresh Chandra to tweet, “A good film is a promotion by itself!! – unconditional love! Ajith.” This was met with criticism as many trade analysts noted that the success of a film is also determined by the promotions, which have become an inevitable part of a film’s release.

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Unintentionally, his steps to become a reclusive actor keep backfiring as the more he seems to be avoiding the limelight, the more it haunts him. The more he hides himself from the public eye, the more he is sought out. That’s why, even in Chennai, where the paparazzi culture is not as prevalent as it is in Bollywood, Ajith gets mobbed by cameras and fans at public places like airports. On the other hand, Ajith stays in the news for everything that has nothing to do with cinema. The photos and videos of his bike trips, his tryst with drones, his culinary skills, and his trips to foreign countries go viral. To date, Ajith, who doesn’t have a social media presence, hasn’t moved a finger to promote his movies. Yet, all his films manage to get into the top ten blockbusters of the year. It is either due to the unrelenting patronage of his fans or a brilliant marketing strategy.