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Question: What do you think is the reason for the failure of the film "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen"?
Answer: Instead of telling what's the reason or who's responsible 
for
the failure of the film, let me take the responsibility for it. I owe the same
level of share of joy I enjoyed while I tasted the success of the films
like "Vaali", "Amarkkalam" and "Aanatha Poonghaatrae"
also for the failure of the film "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen"! In
fact, even at the outset I couldn't agree with the concepts many of the scenes
of the film. When I told about it while I was at the sets, the director of the
film Kavi Kalidas assured: 'I remain very clear about it. This story would
definitely prove a winner". He's a new director. It's quite natural that he
might definitely have experienced the fire in him to taste success! Yet, had I
taken any trouble then, to impose my own opinion during the shooting session, it
might perhaps have given birth to 'Ajith-tortures-the-new-director' like
gossips! So, I acted in those scenes eventhough I didn't agree with them,
because I didn't want to incur any damage to my personal reputation as an
artiste!
For Kavi Kaalidas, this is his first film. So, he might have failed to assess the heart beat of the audiences! I believe that the present experience is sufficient to shift him to the right track in the future.
Next, my marriage work clashed with my shooting work for this film. It might be so that there was lack concentration on my part during then. Whatever may be the reason, but the failure of "UInnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen" certainly could be a fitting lesson for me. This film has given me the warning that I need to be more cautious hereafter in my work.
Question: What do you want to say about your fans' reaction that you haven't
made your presence felt in a considerable number of scenes in the flm "Kandukondaen
Kandukondaen"?
Answer: I was booked for that film in 1999 January. At that time I didn't have
that much 'big' market for me. I had given my callsheet then and acted in it.
Later, when this film got released, I had grown-up to big level in the
intervening period of one year. Now I enjoy market value. This film is O.K. when
it's weighed against my former level of market value. 'Kalaipuli Thaanu'
is a big producer. Then there were Rajiv Menon, A.R.Rahman, Aishwarya Rai,
Mammootty and Thabu. I enjoyed working with this team. In short, I found out
myself within me only after having acted in this film. Yes...I married Shalini.
During this film's song-release function I came to understand Kamal sir's
magnanimity when he said: "I (Kamal) feel envy of Ajith"!
Question: It was told that you would buy one new flat for gifting it away to Kavi Kaalidas, the director of "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen"....Have you done so?
Answer: I had told Kavi Kaalidas that I will present him a car or an amount equal to that if only the film "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen" could bring in great results like a "Vaali" or "Amarkkalam". I didn't tell him anything about flat.
But I adviced Kavi Kaalidas a lot: "'Super Good Films', Ajith hero, Simran
heroine, S.A.Rajkumar music....if, in spite of having all this 'set-up', you
fail to succeed, then you will have to wait for atleast a period of one year to
get another film chance! So, before you get a new chance, you shouldn't get
upset! You could taste success only
if you keep on striving hard continually! In cinema, success and failures are
quite common! You go and stay at your native place for about 6 months
time. In that leisurely period let you prepare a very good script. As and when
you get ready with the new script, you come and meet me. If I would get to like
the story, definitely I will allot my callsheet for you". I have told him
so!
Answer: I act in "Cityzen", being produced by 'Nick Arts' S.S.Chakravarthy, who's my close friend and who already has given hit films acted by me. The present, new film is to be directed by Sharavanan Subbiah. In this I act in more than 6 different types of get-up, each one of the get-ups being unique in itself! When I met Kamalhassan sir, regarding my marriage, he told me about make-up man Anil Grigar, who had worked for his "Hey Ram". Kamal himself took the initiative and fixed the same make-up man for "Cityzen". It's my duty now to convey my thanks to Kamal sir at this juncture!
Next I act in a film which is to be produced by A.Poornachandra Rao, who only introduced me as a hero in a Telugu film. I'm not talking about "Nandha" film, in which I was about to act under Bala's direction. Vasanth, instead of Bala now directs this new venture!
It's true that earlier some bitterness brewed between Vasanth and me during "Naerukku Naer" film work. I had long ago given an interview also, to this same "Dinakaran", saying that I won't act in Vasanth's direction even should a situation arise according to which I could get as high a award like National Award only through a film directed by Vasanth! But now I have decided to act in his film. A favourable situation conducive to that has developed now! Vasanth has much prowess to check and correct me. He won't say "yes, you do whatever you pleased to do"! If at all I do any mistakes, he would correct me. When the first 5 Tamil films I acted in failed to earn for me any good recognition, only the film "Aasai", directed by him enabled me to grab the required identity, by which the whole Tamilnadu came to know me! I very much like to act in his direction that lent me the status and reputation of a hero.
Next, I act in the film to be produced by V.Ravichandran of 'Oscar Films Private Limited'. I think, S.Ezhil would direct it. I have given my callsheet for October, November and December. I have also given callsheet to the film to be produced by my friend B.Karthikeyan on behalf of 'Vijayam Cine Combines'. Praveen Gandhi directs it. I have allotted callsheet for August, next year, for a film to be produced and directed by J.Surya.
Question: Is there any truth in the news that you are going to co-act with Vijay in a film?
Answer: The failure of the film "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen" has affected me very much. So, I have to be very, very careful hereafter before committing in new films! If there's an extraordinary subject that could be able to feed both Vijay and me matterwise, I'm ready to act in it. That film should satisfy the fans of both of us. The script should be liked by Vijay as it has to be shown the green signal by me. Then only we could be able to work without any 'ego' problem. At this juncture let me apologize to my fans--that hereafter I won't give a failure film like "Unnaikkodu Yennaiththaruvaen". I won't repeat such a mistake!
Question: Would you involve yourself again in producing own film or in film distribution?
Answer: An actor turning into a producer himself, and proving a success thereupon is very rare in cinema industry. So, hereafter, I'll never indulge either in own film production or distribution! I must keep up and safeguard the market value I'm enjoying now. I will keep on my struggling to maintain that. Now I'm a familyman. Shalini is there for me. I have given back the benefits of my gratitude to all those who helped me during the initial days of my up-coming! Now, my own family is also important for me. I have to work very hard for it! I must do it!
(Concluded).