When he began as lean and lanky youngster in Amaravati, none expected him to survive and make it big in Kollywood. But yes, he's the real "Surviva", who went on to redefine the word mass and style in Kollywood. Today, he's a style icon, a gentleman who's respected from the heart by everyone in the industry, a kind, simple and down to earth human being whom every actress loves to work with, owing to the secure feeling they get when they're with him, and the way he respects and treats women.
At a time when heroes wanted to be the do-gooders on screen, he broke the stereotypes again and again, with his careful selection of characters. He broke his family-friendly hero image carefully constructed with movies like Unnai Thedi, Unnidathil Ennai Koduthen, Aval Varuvala, Kaadhal Mannan.etc, with his unexpected, evil act in Vaali. Not every hero would risk playing a lust filled demonic role, with zero dialogues, but Ajith did it successfully, as he portrayed villainy with his eyes that oozed venom and spoke volumes of the rage within.
It was not Dheena, but Amarkkalam which was Ajith's first mass movie where Thala played Vasu, a goon who does anything for money, until he falls in love, and decides to fight for his love. Ajith's terrific attitude and screen presence rising up against veterans like Raghuvaran and Nasser in the movie started a new phase of his career, propelling him to a mass hero level. He alternated between the mass and the class, by starring in movies like Citizen, Kandukondain Kandukondain, Mugavaree, Villain, Attagasam, etc and proved his potential both as a performer and a star.
While his Varalaru act as the wheelchair-bound and the effeminate dancer Shiva Shankar win critics and audience alike, 2007 marked a new phase in his career as Vishnuvardhan transformed Ajith's image totally, as his Billa was the birth of a Style icon of Kollywood. With stunning royal looks, the coolers, the blazers, and guns, Ajith was simply stunning as the ruthless don, and from then on, every movie of Ajith had a unique style statement and look for him, be it Aasal, Arrambam or Aegan.
And then came the Thala fanboys who further strengthened his mass image - Venkat Prabhu and Siva. Venkat Prabhu made just one movie with Thala, but Mankatha, the 50th movie of Ajith was all that fans waited for from him, and the movie had Ajith's terrific Villainy with attitude and swag, and Siva gave him completely a new look with rural avatars in Veeram and Viswasam, and massy, classy macho looks in Vedhalam and Vivegam, and with Viswasam, gifted Ajith his career biggest blockbuster and Ajith fans an amazing Pongal feast.
With his perfect movie choices, Thala had been always able to satisfy his fans for more than 25 years. Despite disbanding his fan club, his fanbase had just increased exponentially with every passing year and that's why he's the real mass. The darling of the masses. Wishing the self-made star, the epitome of hard work and personification of confidence, Thala Ajith, a very happy birthday!
