From Amarkalam to wedding bells, Kollywood superstar Ajith and his wife Shalini made it for lifetime. On their 19th wedding anniversary, here is a look at the story of one of Kollywood's most loved couple.
As quoted above, the chemistry first started on the sets of the film, 'Amarkalam' shot in 1999 where their reel story turned real when Shalini ended up with a cut on her wrist while performing a scene in the movie. She was supposed to pretend the injury and got a real cut instead. To this, Ajith was extremely worried and Shalini on the other hand remained calm. They say it was Ajith's care and Shalini's tranquillity in the very incident that sparked one of the greatest love stories for the ages.
But it wasn't the first time that they had met. After the success of Kadhalukku Mariyadhai, director Saran was keen on pairing Ajith and Shalini for Amarkalam. Shalini was preparing for her 12th exams and was hell bent on finishing her studies before acting. Ajith called Shalini personally to discuss about the matter.
Later, it was decided that the movie will only be shot after her exams. Meanwhile, Kaadhal Mannan released and Shalini got an invite to attend the premiere of the film during which she first met Ajith.
Shalini recalled in an interview that Ajith disliked her curled hair during the premiere to which she was angry. Her anger was slyly averted by Ajith as he praised free hair look in Kadhalukku Mariyadhai. Shalini said that she liked his honesty when they first met.
In a 1999 interview to a Tamil magazine, Ajith said that after Amarkalam, he knew Shalini was the one and that she was the sea and he was the river... They had to meet. She was the one who could channelise his spirit.
Ajith waited for Shalini to finish her commitments before getting married. Even after being a celebrated child artist and a successful actress, Shalini decided to quit films in her prime.
Shalini had said in a 2009 interview with JFW that she enjoyed acting but Ajith was more tempting. She is not the kind of person who could manage a home and an acting career. She had also mentioned that it feels good when people tell her that they miss her acting but they respect her decision.
The couple has two kids- Anoushka and Aadhik. In an industry where romance go through a lot, the story of Shalini and Ajith is one for the ages.