'I am the entertainer'

This Tamil New Year's eve (April 13), Ajith fans were disappointed -- there was no Ajith starrer slated for release. Nor is there one in the immediate future.

Ajith has of late been picky about his roles. Yet he delivered a flop in Red, following Citizen.

His next film Raja, costarring Jyotika and directed by Ezhil, is touted as 50-50 mix of romance and action. What seems to have gone wrong in his assessment? He speaks to Pearl:

Actors Shyam and Srikanth have now arrived on what was known as the Ajith-Vijay turf. What do you say about that?

Let them arrive! There is room for all of us here. I 'arrived' at one point, too. In Telugu cinema, there are ten newcomers. The fittest or truly talented will survive..Only when there are many of us, will you have differences in story and performance. You have more choice.

If something good happens to Tamil cinema, I'm happy.

How do you stay unaffected by Red's dismal show?

To me, it was a lesson. My father once told me that I was being escapist in my ways because I would never think of 'going through the next stretch'. Once I was through with something, I would run away from it or its consequences. He warned me against it.

You see, early in career, I wasn't making it real big. My business wasn't doing well; my acting career wasn't taking off. I contemplated giving it all up and 'running away'. That is when my father said I ought to stay on.

And Vaalee happened. It boosted my career and I tasted success which was mine for some time. Now I have reached a stage where if I commit a mistake, I mull over it and correct the situation to remain unscathed. Red was one such mistake.

You seem to have a reputation of interfering with scripts. How do you defend yourself?

Nowadays, directors discuss the script with actors. It's not like they don't show you the script and simply direct you to 'act'.

Moviemaking is all about team effort. Each department has its own people and an allocated set of things to do. The director brings all of them together. Things are changing in cinema and are better defined.

I see myself as having a responsibility. Initially, I had five flops in a row. Yet producers came to me. Audiences come to the movies with expectations, too. I have to satisfy them.

If a movie flops and I am satisfied with my performance and disassociate myself from its performance at the box office, my happiness is incomplete. If the movie also works well, that is something to be happy or proud of.

I don't want to be typecast. I am looking for a good script. Simple.

Chevalier Sivaji Ganeshan and M G Ramachandran did similar roles and were successful...

Theirs was a different scenario. My audiences have to feel that Ajith can do any role. If they see me only in certain roles, I am finished.

In the final reckoning, cinema is about entertainment. And I am the entertainer. I think I should do varied roles, as many as possible.

These days, you keep talking of successes and failures. Are your failures niggling you?

No, I think I have become mature and levelheaded. I like the idea of my fans accepting me. I like them to expect that I can deliver. And remember me for my performance.

And I don't have to trample on anyone. I am the sort who respects my competitors and predecessors. What is due to me will reach me.

I owe my maturity to [wife] Shalini. Lots of good changes happened to me since she came into my life. Shalini has shaped me for the better. She gets all the credit for the new me.

Do you plan to enter politics?

No way! I won't enter politics. You can mark my words. I am convinced that I can do some good without being in politics.