# Ajith Kumar filmography
**Ajith Kumar** (அஜித் குமார்; born 1971) is an Indian actor whose filmography consists mainly of leading roles in [Tamil cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-cinema), beginning with a small role in *En Veedu En Kanavar* (1990) and a lead debut in *Amaravathi* (1993), and running through more than 60 films to *Good Bad Ugly* (2025).[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) Databases disagree on the total: IMDb lists 65 acting credits, Indian Film History lists 61 titles, and a September 2026 box-office tally counts 58 films from 1990 to 2025.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) • [3](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/ajith) • [4](https://screenstat.in/ajith-kumar-box-office-scorecard/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Screen debut | Small role in *En Veedu En Kanavar* (1990); lead debut in *Amaravathi* (1993)[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) |
| Only Telugu film | *Prema Pusthakam* (1993), his first and only Telugu film to date[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) |
| Breakthrough | *Aasai* (1995), followed by romantic hits *Kadhal Kottai* (1996) and *Kadhal Mannan* (1998)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) |
| Signature dual roles | *Vaali* (1999), *Villain* (2002), *Varalaru* (2006); his three Filmfare Best Actor (Tamil) awards all went to multiple-role films[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) • [5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) |
| 50th film | *Mankatha* (2011), in which he played the antihero Vinayak[6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/top-listing/must-watch-ajith-kumar-films-before-good-bad-ugly-5-6093.html) |
| Recent releases | *Vidaamuyarchi* (6 February 2025) and *Good Bad Ugly* (10 April 2025), both co-starring Trisha[7](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/ajith-kumar/filmography.html) • [8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Aug/03/ajith-kumar-pens-note-on-his-careers-33rd-anniversary-i-hope-i-will-make-you-and-our-nation-proud) |
| Honors | Three Filmfare Awards South, three Cinema Express Awards, Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and the Padma Bhushan in 2025[9](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls087426818/?sort=user_rating%2Cdesc) • [10](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/apr/doc2025428547201.pdf) |
## Early career (1990–1995)
Ajith entered films without a cinema background, working odd jobs before a small role in *En Veedu En Kanavar* (1990). His lead debut came with *Amaravathi* (1993), and in the same year he played the lead in *Prema Pusthakam*, which remains his only Telugu film.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) His early years drew little public notice, and multiple spinal surgeries after racing accidents repeatedly paused his acting career.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) He was also ridiculed early on for his diction as a non-native Tamil speaker, and responded by improving his command of the language.[1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema)
The breakthrough came with the thriller *Aasai* (1995), directed by Vasanth and produced by [Mani Ratnam](https://www.edgepedia.org/mani-ratnam), which established him as a promising actor.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) • [5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/)
## Romantic-hero phase (1996–2001)
A succession of high-grossing films followed in which Ajith was usually cast as a romantic hero, with *Kadhal Kottai* (1996) and *Kadhal Mannan* (1998) the most notable, alongside *Aval Varuvala* (1998) and *Amarkalam* (1999).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) • [5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) He then moved into what IMDb describes as method-acting roles in *Vaali* (1999), *Mugavaree* (2000), *Kandukondain Kandukondain* (2000), and *Citizen* (2001).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) In *Vaali* he played dual roles including a deaf-mute character, a performance that won his first Filmfare Award for Best Tamil Actor.[5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) *Kandukondain Kandukondain*, in which he appeared alongside [Mammootty](https://www.edgepedia.org/mammootty), Tabu, and Aishwarya Rai, sold its audio rights for a reported Rs. 66 million.[11](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP9t5bQ1-g4)
## Action star and dual roles (2001–2011)
**Dheena and the Thala image.** In 2001 Ajith starred in *Dheena*, directed by A. R. Murugadoss, which transformed his screen image into an action star and earned him the nickname "Thala," meaning leader in Tamil.[5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) He became known for taking on multiple roles in single films, with acclaimed performances in *[Villain](https://www.edgepedia.org/villain-2002-film)* (2002), *Attahasam* (2004), and the triple role of *[Varalaru](https://www.edgepedia.org/varalaru)* (2006), which won him another Filmfare Award.[5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/)
**Commercial peak.** The phase from *[Billa](https://www.edgepedia.org/billa-2007-film)* (2007) through *Mankatha* (2011), *Arrambam* (2013), *[Veeram](https://www.edgepedia.org/veeram-2014-film)* (2014), and *[Vedalam](https://www.edgepedia.org/vedalam)* (2015) is described as one of large commercial success, with *Mankatha*, his 50th film, a landmark in which he played a stylish antihero.[5](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/) • [6](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/top-listing/must-watch-ajith-kumar-films-before-good-bad-ugly-5-6093.html) He also made a guest appearance in the Tamil version of *English Vinglish* (2012).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/)
## Later career (2017–2025)
From 2013 to 2025 Ajith appeared in eleven films: *Arrambam*, *Veeram*, *Yennai Arindhaal*, *Vedalam*, *[Vivegam](https://www.edgepedia.org/vivegam)*, *Viswasam*, *[Nerkonda Paarvai](https://www.edgepedia.org/nerkonda-paarvai)*, *Valimai*, *Thunivu*, *Vidaamuyarchi*, and *Good Bad Ugly*.[12](https://bbcinsight.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cr5dz4nlm73o) Of these, *Vivegam*, *Valimai*, and *Vidaamuyarchi* faced criticism for falling short of expectations, while his roles in *Vidaamuyarchi* and *Nerkonda Paarvai* earned praise.[12](https://bbcinsight.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cr5dz4nlm73o) In 2025 he released two films starring opposite Trisha, *Vidaamuyarchi* in February and *Good Bad Ugly* in April.[8](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Aug/03/ajith-kumar-pens-note-on-his-careers-33rd-anniversary-i-hope-i-will-make-you-and-our-nation-proud) • [7](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/ajith-kumar/filmography.html)
**Box office record of the recent films.** *Good Bad Ugly* opened at Rs 285 million (Rs 28.5 crore) on its first day, surpassing *Vidaamuyarchi* but trailing *Valimai*, which remains his biggest opener at Rs 310 million (Rs 31 crore).[13](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/box-office/ajith-kumars-good-bad-ugly-beats-vidaamuyarchi-day-1-numbers-but-falls-short-of-valimai/articleshow/120190086.cms) A September 2026 scorecard of his recent films with reported figures counted 3 hits and 4 flops, an average return of 1.29 times budget, a best of 2.00x for *Yennai Arindhaal*, and a weakest of 0.60x for *Vidaamuyarchi*; it listed *Good Bad Ugly* as his biggest recent hit at Rs 2 billion (Rs 200 crore).[4](https://screenstat.in/ajith-kumar-box-office-scorecard/)
## Current projects
After *Good Bad Ugly*, Ajith announced no new film for over a year while focusing on racing; financier-distributor Tiruppur Subramaniam said in May 2026 that the actor's salary demands after the film's success exceeded what Tamil producers were willing to offer.[14](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/why-has-ajith-kumar-not-signed-a-new-film-despite-good-bad-ugly-success-financier-claims-its-more-than-racing-101781795148007.html/) In August 2026 he announced *Dare Devil*, his second film with director Adhik Ravichandran, produced by his wife Shalini under Brave Hearts Production.[15](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/dare-devil-ajith-kumar-announces-new-film-with-director-adhik-ravichandran-11862682) A racing documentary, *Gladiators*, directed by AL Vijay with music by GV Prakash Kumar, documents his time behind the wheel.[15](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/dare-devil-ajith-kumar-announces-new-film-with-director-adhik-ravichandran-11862682)
## Racing and the shape of the career
Ajith has consistently said he will commit to a film only during the off-season of his racing calendar, and at 55 he works as an actor, racer, photographer, entrepreneur, and rifle shooter.[16](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/ajith-kumar-tamil-cinemas-biggest-screens-europe-racing-circuits-10665231/) • [1](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema) He participated in the 2004 British Formula 3 season as a [Formula Two](https://www.edgepedia.org/formula-two) racing driver and was ranked the third-best Indian racer at the time.[17](https://indianexpress.com/about/ajith-kumar/) This dual career explains the filmography's rhythm: only seven films in the ten years to 2026, excluding cameos and guest appearances.[4](https://screenstat.in/ajith-kumar-box-office-scorecard/)
## Awards
Ajith has won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards in Tamil, all for films in which he played multiple roles, along with three Cinema Express Best Actor awards for *Vaali* (1999), *Mugavari* (2000), and *Citizen* (2001), a Tamil Nadu State Film Special Award for *Poovellam Un Vasam* (2001), and the MGR Honorary Award in 2006.[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/) • [18](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/awards/?mode=desktop) The Government of India conferred the [Padma Bhushan](https://www.edgepedia.org/padma-bhushan) on him in 2025, citing a decades-long career in Tamil cinema.[10](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/apr/doc2025428547201.pdf)
## References
1. [34 Years of Ajith Kumar, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/tamil/features/2026/Aug/04/34-years-of-ajith-kumar-the-passionate-actor-who-raced-past-every-definition-of-stardom-in-tamil-cinema)
2. [Ajith Kumar, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/)
3. [Ajith Kumar, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actor/ajith)
4. [Ajith Kumar Scorecard, ScreenStat](https://screenstat.in/ajith-kumar-box-office-scorecard/)
5. [Ajith Kumar Filmography: Complete Movie List, CinemaTimes](https://cinematimes.in/ajith-kumar-filmography/)
6. [Must-watch Ajith films before Good Bad Ugly, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/top-listing/must-watch-ajith-kumar-films-before-good-bad-ugly-5-6093.html)
7. [Ajith Kumar filmography, Filmibeat Tamil](https://tamil.filmibeat.com/celebs/ajith-kumar/filmography.html)
8. [Ajith Kumar pens note on his career's 33rd anniversary, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Aug/03/ajith-kumar-pens-note-on-his-careers-33rd-anniversary-i-hope-i-will-make-you-and-our-nation-proud)
9. [25 Best Movies of Ajith Kumar, IMDb list](https://www.imdb.com/list/ls087426818/?sort=user_rating%2Cdesc)
10. [Padma Bhushan 2025 citations, Press Information Bureau](https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2025/apr/doc2025428547201.pdf)
11. [South Indian Tamil Cinema Actor Ajithkumar's Life History, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP9t5bQ1-g4)
12. [Ajith's films 2013–2025 and their reception, BBC News Tamil](https://bbcinsight.pages.dev/tamil/articles/cr5dz4nlm73o)
13. [Good Bad Ugly beats Vidaamuyarchi day 1 numbers, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/box-office/ajith-kumars-good-bad-ugly-beats-vidaamuyarchi-day-1-numbers-but-falls-short-of-valimai/articleshow/120190086.cms)
14. [Why has Ajith Kumar not signed a new film?, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/tamil-cinema/why-has-ajith-kumar-not-signed-a-new-film-despite-good-bad-ugly-success-financier-claims-its-more-than-racing-101781795148007.html/)
15. [Ajith Kumar announces Dare Devil, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/dare-devil-ajith-kumar-announces-new-film-with-director-adhik-ravichandran-11862682)
16. [From Tamil cinema's biggest screens to Europe's racing circuits, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/tamil/ajith-kumar-tamil-cinemas-biggest-screens-europe-racing-circuits-10665231/)
17. [Ajith Kumar profile, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/ajith-kumar/)
18. [Ajith Kumar Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0015001/awards/?mode=desktop)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Actor filmographies and performer list articles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license