For actor and racer Ajith Kumar, the Padma Bhushan is not just a recognition, but a responsibility. Speaking to us a day after receiving the honour in New Delhi, Ajith says he feels “very overwhelmed and very grateful to the universe”.
“I wish to thank the Government of India, the honourable President Droupadi Murmu ji, the honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnav ji, my family — my parents, siblings, wife and kids for all the support,” he states.
He also acknowledges the role his fans have played in shaping him up. “I’ve been through good days and bad days, but my fans have inspired me and motivated me to carry on and stay focused on what I need to do,” he says and adds that “the support and constructive criticism that I’ve received over the years” from the media.
Talking about how it felt when his name was called out at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the actor shares, “It was overwhelming. To be there among the dignitaries, I felt very humbled. I feel I now have a lot more responsibility and to live up to this honour. It’s a huge recognition. But it’s not just about achieving this, right? You have to live up to it. So, that’s made me more conscious of my responsibility. And I will definitely be as sincere and honest with my work as with everything that I choose to do.”
But celebrations may have to wait… for now. “I’ve just been meeting friends and family in Delhi. I think it’ll take some time for it to really sink in. Also, I need to leave for my racing events, which will start in the next 10 days. So, I’ll be getting back to Europe to take part in both the GT4 European Series and the endurance 24H Michelin series. So, there’s a lot of work ahead, and a lot of things to be focusing on,” he signs off.
