- 4 months ago
Ajith Kumar, in an exclusive conversation with India Today, said sustaining injuries while performing his stunts on film sets doesn't deter him. He also expressed that his fans never said, "Oh, you're getting hurt. Please don't do films."
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00:00It's my absolute honor and pleasure to be joined
00:29here in Barcelona to meet Ajit Kumar.
00:33It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of effort. Can you just describe it for us?
00:41A lot of preparation, be it mental or physical.
00:47This is the portion I need to Kapka that we raise in the endurance series.
00:54I am pursuing something that I very dearly love and in the process,
00:58if it reaches out to people and people start following the sport,
01:02it's good for the sport.
01:11That's just a glimpse of what goes on right now.
01:16I don't know if you've seen the movie F1.
01:18Yes, I did.
01:19Do you ever toy with the idea of doing something similar?
01:22But if it does happen organically, why not?
01:24Maybe a collaboration, a Hollywood collaboration.
01:32What first struck me is the fact that they have the tricolor put up here.
01:35I was very proud to be an Indian.
01:36I'm just curious here.
01:37The other racers have any sense of the fanfare around Ajit?
01:49That speed, what does it feel like to be in the car driving at that speed?
01:53As a driver, you don't realize the speed that you're doing until you go off the circuit or you have a bad crash.
02:03You're pushing the limits of the car.
02:05You're testing your own limits.
02:06You're pushing your limit.
02:08So accidents and crashes are bound to happen.
02:11All the surgeries that I underwent were due to injuries I sustained at the shooting spot.
02:18While performing my stunts.
02:20That didn't deter me.
02:21Why would it deter me in more response?
02:24Mark my words, I hope it happens during my lifetime.
02:28But there will be a day when we will have an Indian driver who will go on to become a Formula One World Champion.
02:41You've seen the video that your wife posted on Instagram that went viral?
02:46And she said, melts my heart and cracks me up.
02:52So many of these young fans, they'll not forgive me if I don't ask you also what's coming up as far as your films are concerned.
03:05He's a legend in Tamil cinema.
03:07He lives life on the fast track.
03:10I'm sure you know who I'm talking about.
03:11I met him a couple of months ago and what stood out for me was the sheer passion that he had for motorsport, for racing.
03:19I've come all the way down to Barcelona and guess what struck me the most?
03:23That all of his efforts have led to the Indian flag also flying high and proudly here in Barcelona.
03:29Yes, a few months ago I spoke with superstar Ajit about a motor race, about motorsport and how there's so much that can be done for it in India.
03:40Now there is one side of course of cinema which is glamorous but combine that with the grit of racing and that perhaps explains what makes Ajit who he is right now, what makes him so not just driven but also grounded.
03:54The fact that you have the glamour coupled with the grit of motor racing.
03:58So it's my absolute honour and pleasure to be joined here in Barcelona.
04:02I've come all the way to meet Ajit Kumar.
04:05Thank you very much sir.
04:06Wanakam.
04:07Wanakam.
04:08Thank you for having me here in Barcelona.
04:09I know it's a very busy time for you.
04:11But you made a promise that you'd give me an interview and thank you for ensuring that you live up to that.
04:17Thank you for coming Ajit Kumar.
04:18It's a pleasure having you here with us.
04:21And yeah, we want you to experience what this racing is all about motorsports.
04:28Can you put it in words for us?
04:29What's it like the days before a race when there's all of this testing happening?
04:33I got a glimpse of it and I was enamoured because I'm a newbie.
04:37I haven't seen much of motorsport.
04:38This is my first time in the pit as well.
04:40So it's fascinating for me.
04:42It takes a lot of hard work, a lot of effort.
04:45Can you just describe it for us?
04:47Just like any other sport.
04:49Very, very demanding.
04:51A lot of preparation.
04:54Be it mental or physical.
04:58Working on the cars, setting them up.
05:02And then it's a team event where we have four to five drivers, sometimes three, depending on the series that you're a part of.
05:10Getting to know your teammates and getting to match your times and make sure that the team is competitive.
05:16Yeah.
05:17And yeah, so it begins.
05:18Like for example, we are here in Barcelona for the 24-hour, Kremantik 24-hour series.
05:23It's the last round of the championship.
05:25And this happens to be a 24-hour mix.
05:28So we have five drivers in the team now.
05:31Yeah.
05:32And so what happens is we come in on a, let's say a Sunday or Monday, meet up with the team, the mechanics, you know.
05:42And then we have a race engineer who creeps us on how we would go about the weekend with the setup of the power.
05:53Yeah.
05:54And like the track temperatures, everything changes, you know.
05:57Right.
05:58Like in the mornings, in the afternoons, so track temperatures change.
06:00Yeah.
06:01So everything, right, from the tires that we would use, the temperature that the tires need to be in different sessions.
06:10And yeah, all these things are discussed.
06:13And then we have an option of choosing to do late practice sessions.
06:20See, a lot of drivers are professionals who race in different series.
06:24So when a series starts up on a race weekend, they normally start practice on a Thursday.
06:29Right.
06:30So then Friday, they have the quarter.
06:32They have another, let's say, half a day for qualification.
06:36And then post lunch, I mean, for practice, the first half of the day goes for loop practice.
06:43And that's the second half is for qualification, where all the drivers in the team need to drive and they need to qualify.
06:50And then the average time is taken into account for the grid positions for the race the following day.
06:55Like out of 24 hours.
06:57This is the 24 days.
06:58And it's non-stroke.
06:59Yeah.
07:00So this event, this weekend is the 24 days.
07:02So this is the card that you usually drive?
07:05Is this your premium?
07:06This is the fortune and into cup car that we race in the endurance series, the 12 hours and 24 hours.
07:14And it's been a great year, great year of learning accomplishments in podium finishes in Dubai, SPAF and Vajello.
07:23What's, what's the feeling?
07:24I mean, when I enter, I saw the tricolor of the flying, Ajit Kumar racing company.
07:31I'm not sure we've ever seen the tricolor at this kind of motor racing event.
07:35So is that the intention?
07:37Is that the idea of starting on this, of doing all this?
07:40To be honest, I'm pursuing something which I love dearly.
07:45So I wouldn't want to sound pompous by saying, oh, I'm trying to do something for the sport.
07:51I am pursuing something that I very dearly love.
07:55And in the process, if it reaches out to people and people start following the sport, it's good for the sport.
08:02And since you mentioned the tricolor, Nareen Karthikeyn, Karun Chandok, Jahan Daruwala, Khush Mahini,
08:13they have all raised the Indian flags on podiums in different series.
08:17So I'm not the first, but yes, it is a proud moment when, you know, you see the Indian tricolor in the pits or, you know, on the podium.
08:26It's a wonderful feeling. It's very overwhelming.
08:30There's a lot of space for India to grow in motorsport.
08:35I think that's largely the reality in many sports in India, that it doesn't get the focus that it needs to.
08:41Do you think that's the case for motorsport as well, that it needs a lot more attention?
08:46And the spotlight needs to be on it for people to know that this is something that's an option for them to receive.
08:51See, firstly, unfortunately, racing, motorsports is considered glamorous.
08:59It's not?
09:01It isn't anything. I mean, it is anything but glamorous. For example, they think, yeah, it's a rich man's sport.
09:08If you look at most of the drivers on the grid in any series, be it Formula One or the World Endurance Championship, any format,
09:1780% of the drivers are struggling to find sponsors. And believe me when I say they're some of the best drivers in the world.
09:26So it's all about sponsorship. Now, let us take India for example. It's a country of 1.4-plus billion people.
09:37It is wrong for us to expect funding from the government.
09:42Right.
09:43Yeah, because there are so many other important issues for them to deal with.
09:46You're not expecting, I mean, you're pitch cold.
09:48No, I mean, let me tell you how, I mean, how, let me, I could be wrong, I don't know, but I'm just telling you what is in my mind.
09:56It is wrong for us to expect funding from governments, be it the state government or the central government,
10:01because the leaders or the bureaucrats have a lot more, you know, important issues to deal with.
10:09But yes, what the governments can do is probably direct the corporates to support the sport.
10:17And for the governments to recognize motorsports, give it the recognition that it deserves.
10:26Like, you know, once we get the recognition, once it is recognized as not a rich man's sport, but a truly demanding sport.
10:36I mean, leave alone the money part, because it takes, I mean, logistics, look, I mean, there are about 60 cars on the grid.
10:43And, you know, when, for example, you know, to, to move this whole, you know, the cars, the mechanics from one country to another, logistics, it costs a lot of money.
10:57So it's, it's a very, very tough sport.
11:03It takes a toll on everything, your, your personal life, your, I mean, you could, you could hurt yourself, you know, loss of life, limb.
11:12There's so many things involved.
11:13So it isn't, it's anything but glamorous.
11:15Believe me, when I say that.
11:17Yeah, so, so what we probably expect is for corporates to come in.
11:22Right.
11:23Now, look at all the automobile manufacturers.
11:25Look at our Indian brands.
11:26They're doing so well internationally, be it Tata, Mahindra, name, I mean, I can go on and on.
11:33When the government recognizes more, of course, always seek us recognition saying, please recognize the sport.
11:39What do you mean by recognition?
11:40Do you kind of want them to publicize it more?
11:44Not exactly.
11:45Not exactly.
11:46See, again, it's the events that are held in India, not very many.
11:51Yeah.
11:52When I, we have a lot of international championship, I mean, national events being taken, I mean, being conducted, but that alone is not enough.
12:00Now, for example, if you look at the same series, Kremantik, they also have the Asian series.
12:06And this time they have convinced the Sapaang, Malaysian government and, you know, they are conducting one event at Sapaang.
12:14So we will have three rounds, one in Malaysia, Sapaang, one in Dubai and another one, Abu Dhabi.
12:21Now, I am told that the customs duties for bringing these cars or, you know, taking these cars back is a little complicated.
12:36So if the government can ease the process, we might, we might have one round of the Asian series in India, depending on where the promoters,
12:46I mean, depending on the circuit that it shows, we have circuits in Derry, the Wood circuit.
12:51We have a circuit in Chennai.
12:52We have a racing circuit in Coimbatore.
12:54And Naren Karthikeyan is coming up the circuit in Coimbatore again.
12:58So, and then I believe there's a circuit coming up in, like, the Banjo or Hyderabad.
13:03So we have the circuits, but we don't have the international events, the, you know, the one leg of these events coming to India.
13:12I think it's due to the customs regulations.
13:15Okay.
13:16So if the government can kind of ease the customs and the policies to enable these promoters to bring in their cars or to, to, to, it costs a lot.
13:26And in fact, let me tell you, Bill, the, the cost of running an Asian led, Asian series is a lot more expensive, probably 20, 30% more expensive than in Europe.
13:37Because all the cars actually has to be shipped from Europe.
13:41Right.
13:42So why I say, I would love to, now, now this year I have taken part in the, uh, Krebentec 24 series.
13:49They have championships in Asia.
13:52And then the GT4, you know, champs, and you have the Le Mans, Asian Le Mans series, which Naren Karthike and me are going to be participating.
14:00They have the, we have three rounds of that series in Asia.
14:04Now, if we get support from the government by easing the customs policy, it's on the way.
14:12So we either, when they begin this, the Asian series, they will probably have one round in India and then move over to, let's say Dubai or Dubai, India, Malaysia, and then come back to Abu Dhabi, finish the series and go back.
14:27So once people start seeing these races on, I mean, live, let me tell you something, no matter how glamorous or how well covered a sport is on television, the television doesn't do justice to the sport.
14:40Unless you're there, you see the speeds that they touch, the smell of burning rubber, the fuel, the whole, you know, you need to experience this firsthand for people to start relating to the sport.
14:52Yeah. And then when you start having these championship in India, there are a lot of Indian drivers who are extremely talented, but cannot afford to go to Europe to race.
15:05So when these promoters start having, you know, run races in India, drivers will be able to find sponsors for that one off event where they can participate.
15:17And you never know, some team may notice then and then induct them into their driver code.
15:25What do you call, you know, they have a program work, you know, driver program, like they take in youngsters and they train them till they get to the highest level possible in that particular sport.
15:36It could be Formula One or whatever, like, so every manufacturer has a driver program, you know, to develop drivers, a driver development program.
15:45So that can happen.
15:46So it opens up so many.
15:47It opens up because then it gives an opportunity for all the Indian drivers to find a sponsor to race in India, in their homeland, in front of their people.
15:57Imagine the motivation, let's say having 50, 60,000 people coming to watch your race, that motivates you to do better.
16:04There are so many things that can happen.
16:06So it is very important for India to start having international races, events come to India, but thereby giving an opportunity for all the Indian drivers to participate and find that sponsor, find that corporate who would be willing to at least sponsor that one off event.
16:23You know, that's enough. You know, it's just that first step that we need. And then probably, you know, like I said, teams will pick them up, you know, a lot of things can happen.
16:35But to me, that spark has been because, you know, with you in motorsport, there's so much conversation about what you do.
16:43And the fact, of course, that you have this massive fan base, even here in Barcelona, I said that your fans gather here.
16:50Because of that, a certain interest has been peaked in them. Also, don't you think about motorsport?
16:56I'm definitely grateful to my fans, you know, for they take the effort to come to, I mean, happened in Dubai, Spa-Franco Champs, N├╝rburgring, Germany.
17:06So, likewise, just like my fans have started following motorsports. In fact, from the next series, I plan to have, you know, I want to promote Indian cinema.
17:18So, I'm having a logo on the car, which says Indian cinema, you know, the largest producers of films in the world in over 20 Indian languages, you know.
17:29So, I mean, the reason is, entertainment and sports have always, you know, been a very important part of, they go hand in hand, and look at what happened during COVID.
17:41It was entertainment and sports that kept the people sane.
17:45So, I mean, I consider myself very blessed to be a part of the film industry, Indian film industry, the Tamil film industry.
17:52I mean, 33 years in the film business, I mean, unable to do all this because of the, the, the, the, uh, love, goodwill.
18:04That's just a glimpse of what goes on right now, during the test, right here.
18:14So, I mean, the love and the goodwill from people, from, you know, fans, from the media.
18:19So, likewise, I would want, because in the last eight months that I have been racing, a lot of people from other drivers, teams have walked up to me wanting to know more.
18:31Falles are getting up now.
18:36Wanting to do, wanting to know more about Indian cinema.
18:43You know, sometimes the commentators refer to our cinema as Bollywood.
18:48So it's, no, I'm not, I'm not, I mean, it's still so, so, so, so, it's like, you know, wanting to know that Indian cinema is, Bollywood is a part of Indian cinema.
18:58is a part of Indian cinema and so it's it's like probably they start watching other film
19:02they'll start watching Malayalam films, Telugu films, Hindi films, Bojpuri films. So if it if
19:09that happens I mean it would be a wonderful thing right. Motorsports fans following Indian cinema,
19:17Indian audiences were starting to follow motorsports I mean so it is a win-win situation
19:21for everybody over here. You know I don't know if you've seen Nuri F1. Yes I did. Like that
19:27it's that created such a stir about what motorsport is. Do you ever toy with the idea or do
19:32something similar in India or having you know a movie about? See if it happens organically yes
19:40you know so I wouldn't again if things have to happen organically you know first of all people
19:46need to understand the sport you know you need they need to be aware as to what are the different
19:52formats of sport how each format you know functions and what it takes for a driver to get to
19:59each of these formats so there's so many things and but if it does happen organically why not
20:04maybe a might be of a collaboration in a Hollywood collaboration or an international production it
20:10makes it a big difference actually so I just hope for the best. You know you were talking about putting
20:15a sticker on the car that talks about our Indian producers I noticed also that you have a logo
20:22Yes the Terminator State Development of Power. The reason being you know they conducted the first
20:29street waves in Chennai last year as a motorsport fan someone who loves motorsport for a government
20:36taking the initiative to to promote an event conduct the first street night race
20:43it was a big boost for motorsports as a mark of let's say gratitude I requested them if I can and
20:51the Sports Development Authority is doing a lot for other sports as well not just motorsports I mean
20:56they're doing a lot and I thought what better way that to you know express my gratitude so they it's not
21:04that they are sponsoring us we didn't seek sponsorship like I told you they have a lot of other important
21:11things to be taken care of but the fact that Chennai had its first night race and it drew a lot of
21:17uh you know crowd and yes there were teething problems in putting it with it is first of its kind
21:23so it takes time you know for the organizers to understand how to conduct the there were glitches but
21:29we appreciate the the the effort that went starting it's it's a small step so so the sound you
21:36constantly hear is of course the vehicles going power that speed what does it feel like to be in
21:42the car driving at that speed honestly when you're in the car it takes one minute to do what this is
21:48a 4.7 kilometer 4.7 plus a very good lap time and the circuit is somewhere in one minute 45
21:55that's late 45 seconds so that's by that that's by the that's by the yeah that's by the uh professional
22:02drivers pro drivers the and drivers like me would probably do a 148 49 that's that's how fast it is
22:08in in fact spa frank which i'm circuit is about seven kilometers and we do that in about two minutes
22:19but like you asked you don't as a driver you're not thinking about you you don't realize the speed that
22:24you're doing until you go off the circuit or you have a bad crash otherwise you're so busy you know
22:29you're so focused on picking your breaking points your market you know so so there's so many things
22:34happening in the car talking to your team engineer a race engineer so so it's what was what was your
22:39first race like when all this happening were you overwhelmed i was because i was coming back to
22:44racing you mean my first ever race or it's like when you came back it was overwhelming intimidating
22:51scary excitement i mean a whole range of emotions that i went through this was the dubai attorney
22:58power race and then i had a bad crash and but then again see i see a lot of people
23:05commenting on the crashes that i have but if you ask any any team any any person any racing driver
23:12crashes are a part of motorsports it's pretty scary too it is but but then you have to understand that
23:18these cars are built with that purpose so driver safety is prime of primary importance when they
23:23design a car you know so so so it's it's desired in a way that the driver is protected it's very rare
23:32that you have a fatality see you're pushing the limits of the car you know you're testing your own
23:37limits you're pushing your limit you know so accidents and crashes are bound to happen does it deter you
23:42or have this kind of a crash because mentally also it must be so far it hasn't so far it hasn't i
23:48mean i mean look at films all my injuries all the surgeries that i underwent were due to injuries
23:56i sustained at the shooting spot while performing my stunts so that didn't deter me nor did fans
24:05tell me oh you're getting hurt please don't do films you know so why is it that you know it why would
24:11it deter me in motorsports and and again you have bad days you have good days but when you get on the
24:18podium or you do very well in a race the the recognition that you get the the the high duty
24:25you know you you feel uh you feel you feel you feel good about you know uh everything you know when
24:32things fall into place you get excited it makes you happy it makes it makes my soul happy i'm sure you
24:37were driven by passion but now that there's racing happening let's move this also to another corner
24:43so i think we can continue the conversation sure sure let's just take this sure yeah
25:07so out of the box what i was referring to earlier is this particular post because the moment i entered
25:17what first struck me is the fact that they have the tricolor put up here this must be
25:21a moment of great pride and kind of sinks in then of course you do all that you have established all
25:26that your setup has come true of course very proud to be an indian very proud to be a part of
25:31know tamil film industry and to be representing uh you know the film industry here on international
25:39circuits and represent the country as a racing driver because like i said i'm really blessed
25:45do the other racers and i'm just curious here the other racers have any sense of the fanfare around
25:53ajit because i know a lot of fans end up at these locations as well where the races happen
25:58initially they weren't aware as much but then uh uh fans started this thing the other circus like
26:06i mentioned spa franco champs in belgium and the other places dubai so that's when the
26:13the the the curiosity of wanting to know more indian films that's when it happened so they started
26:18asking me a lot of questions about you know how films are made and how many languages are films in
26:23india made so it's nice so that's the reason i decided why not since they're not aware that you
26:29know correct we make films in many languages so let them know that yeah we are the largest producers
26:34of friends you know when when you do films and you know neither is part-time both take immense amount
26:41of effort both take immense amount of uh time whether it's this or films uh how much do you actually
26:48manage to race at a time when you know you're in a film schedule you don't manage to at all i'm sure
26:53i'm trying to be a part of a lot of championships in the coming year so i will have to find a balance
27:00i will have to find uh like-minded people who see the importance both for the sport and for the indian
27:08film industry i mean there are different ways of promoting a firm or or so so probably i i would like
27:15to use motor sports as a platform because like you have a lot of awards being award being our
27:21functions being held internationally yeah ideas to bring in a lot of international audiences as well
27:28like see how the korean films are very popular today in india so i would like indian films i mean i'm sure
27:34they are popular but again probably it's only reason specific probably it's more bollywood films uh you
27:40you know hindi films like uh or uh i would like them to watch films in all the other languages you
27:47malayalam kamari telebu khanada bhoch puri no so probably you know i i i i would like to use this as
27:56a platform i i don't know how how successful it would be but but it's it it is an initiative and
28:02likewise you know motorsports trying to and when i talk motorsports it's it is not just about india
28:10that region you know i mean there's so many circuits you have circuits in china malaysia
28:16so so like i said there's so many good things that can happen all of it and and believe me i'm so
28:22grateful that you are here to to cover this it's like you know behind the scene people see you know
28:30films behind the scene and then they understand okay film industry is a very tough industry
28:36very true i mean i'd like the same to happen with motorsports people see the podium
28:41celebrations they see all the the good thing they don't see the the pain that goes behind you know
28:47where you know you could get hurt lose a life you're very close to finishing on the podium but you have
28:54a technical uh issue with the car you don't finish the race or you have a you know you're dicing with
29:00another car there's so many things the disappointments the heartbreaks and the effort i mean it takes
29:06you away film industries also like you know you're away from your family for most of the time so film
29:12doesn't do well yeah it hurts you right it's it's like that you know we we work so hard for a firm
29:18you know six seven months we work so hard and nobody wants to make a bad film yeah yeah sometimes it works
29:24sometimes it doesn't work even the socio uh uh uh what shall we say the uh you know geopolitical
29:33situation also affects the mindset of people when they come to watch a film the weather you know
29:38there's so many things that actually play a part in a film doing well apart from a bad script or a good
29:44script and there's so many other factors that influence people's minds similarly you know racing
29:48uh so many things that goes into preparing one's self for the small for a team to prepare like i said
29:57finding sponsors is one of the greatest uh hurdles that a team or a driver uh needs to you know overcome
30:08and i think corporates is my i i i sincerely hope you know automobile manufacturers or you know
30:18manufacturers of different automobile components anybody anybody who who you know feels it could
30:26enhance their the visibility of their brand their business uh can can come in uh you know you're
30:35speaking of challenges that both industries kind of face uh and you're someone who's invested deeply
30:41in both in the sense that you know you're very much still active as an actor you're so active also
30:47as a racer i also wonder where you get the time i mean to be with your family your family is of
30:52course in the world then films inevitably i'm sure shooting is in india this takes you across europe
30:58so that's a lot of travel i'm sure it is a lot of multitasking it is but uh it is something that i i have
31:07taken up and uh nothing comes easy nothing but do you get time for your family i do i do in fact i have
31:14my wife and children coming in tomorrow so they come in constantly not for all the races because
31:19much my my daughter is 17 she just started uh on she undergrad my son is 10 and a half years old so
31:26he's joined a new school so there's so many other things that shalini is you know handling and then
31:33if not for her support uh i wouldn't be able to do all this you know so you know looking after the home
31:40the children when i'm away so so it it's it's not just sacrifice from my side you know the sacrifices
31:47i mean the children hardly get to see me yeah you know i i don't get to see them i miss them as much
31:53as they miss me so these are things that you know it's never i mean uh it's never seen or never
32:03understood and it's not in my case it's in every everybody else's case you know the teams are
32:09traveling the mechanics don't get to see their family they're away from it but again when you
32:13love something so dearly and uh you know you you have to make your sacrifices and and if you're if
32:22you're lucky i mean if you find your family your partners uh supporting you yeah in in your endeavor
32:31so yeah so so nothing comes again nothing comes easy i was wondering if you've seen the video
32:38that your wife posted on instagram that went viral did you see it which one you should it's uh
32:44a video that she's posted where you're actually kind of joking she oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
32:49she touches your feet and you say no no i'll get home i'll i'll i'll i'll i'll she said melts my heart
33:12and cracks me out i think that sums up also what goes on between the two but are they also now
33:19into motor sport as a result of you know shalini has always i mean uh you know after i got married
33:25i think 2002 is when i again got back to racing for a brief she was there she was with me you know at
33:32all the events all the all the races and then the kids happened and you know so so the response is come
33:39with that she got busy and uh yeah but she she follows motorsports my my son is now uh in love with
33:49motorsports so he has started uh go-karting but not on a very serious level so uh probably give him time
33:57to for him to to understand to to realize if he really wants to to do it pursue if he does and i'll
34:05probably put him on to the right people who can can guide him but is that what you're hoping for
34:11that you know your kids also i know i i've you know no honestly beat firms or racing i i would not
34:17want to force my views on them or my my my uh what shall i say your interest my interest no i would i want
34:27them to come on their own find out for themselves what is it that they want to do what is it that they
34:32want to pursue and support them in in any way possible on every way possible you know i see a
34:39lot of uh actors in india right now particularly in the tamal film industry who are looking beyond just
34:47that into other interests into passion projects uh do you think that now people of the industry also
34:53are more accepting of that for you too i think they've embraced what you do and given it so much love
34:58it has always been happening if you look i'm i don't know as far as sports is concerned but
35:04we've had a lot of actors go on to become very successful business men
35:12actresses who have been successful in business ventures it's it's maybe thanks to social media
35:19today people are getting to know about it i'm sure i'm sure in the earlier days they have ventured into
35:25other uh industries or you know other professions and done well for themselves so it helps it helps
35:33and and today social media like you know this this is a wonderful tool you know in the right hands it's
35:39a wonderful tool in the wrong hands it can be it can be disastrous so i just hope uh i just hope
35:47people empathize uh understand and uh follow motorsports and uh likewise the international
35:55audience also starts to take to indian films like how korean films are very popular all over
36:00today korean web series films i know a lot of my friends who speak korean now just because they've
36:06been watching all the web series they they they can they can understand they speak a little bit
36:11of do you have time to watch and you i don't i don't i don't you know the the time i get to sleep
36:18is in the aircraft but then i have a sleeping disorder and i i i find it hard to put myself
36:24asleep and then if i sleep it's not more than max four hours you have a lovely big team oh it's a lovely
36:32i mean it's it's a this team redand is run by mr birth and uh it's a it's a it's a it's a family you
36:39know his wife inge their sons race ayrton and janik and so does their friend uh kobe so it's like it's
36:48a wonderful uh team you know inge in fact cooks lunch for us you know ensures that all of us are
36:54well fed looked after well hydrated before we get into the car we have a physiotherapist we have some
37:00great engineers race engineers wonderful mechanics so it's it's like family away from family you know so
37:08i wonder you know you talk with your team and all of the people involved and there's so much that
37:12goes into about the sport uh and i asked you this the last time that as well that being on social
37:18media putting the word out there it makes a big difference so have you never feel tempted to do that
37:24yourself when it comes from you of course yeah i it's my humble request to people i mean don't look at
37:30it as ajit kumaha the actor racing look at it as a sport on the whole you know i'm i'm doing it because
37:39i love the sport but like i said in the process if it kind of you know gets people's attention and
37:46somewhere you know it starts to to to to spread yeah i'll be happy but i i i don't want to sound
37:53politically correct or you know lie saying oh no i'm doing it for the sport i'm doing it for cinema
38:01no it's something i love to do and probably see it happened organically just as films happened
38:07organically racing i thought i was done with the motorsports but then again yeah i i i'm i'm very
38:13i would say uh i believe in in a supernatural power so so something has made it happen you know
38:23when you think it's all over and done suddenly i get this opportunity to come back to racing again
38:27so i i i i would like to make use of this opportunity and at the same time at the same time
38:38uh i hope uh it can open up doors for both indian cinema worldwide and uh motorsports in india so so
38:50it's it's not it's not about uh ajit it's not about ajit kumaha racing it's about motorsport it's about
38:58indian motorsports it's it's it's it's about the future of a lot of you know but i'm i'm telling you
39:05this mark my words i hope it happens during my lifetime but there will be a day when we will
39:13have an indian driver who will go on to become a formula one world champion wow you're confident
39:18no i let me tell you this i remember in 2003 when i was you know in 2002 uh i was racing the indian
39:28uh championship in the fismi formula indian maruti single seater class and we we had the last
39:34round after which we had a the price distribution ceremony i say this because someone sent that
39:41interview of mine saying that i had mentioned that very soon you know nareen karthikein would go on to
39:46become an f1 driver and in two years in 2005 nareen karthikein did go on to become india's first
39:53formula one driver and then i think in 2008 karun chander followed so i mean you've got to give it to nareen
39:59for being you know for having i mean today a lot of parents are looking at their children taking
40:06a motor sports as a carrier all thanks to nareen karthikein karun chandok you know the chandok family
40:12i mean they they they struggle they struggle they know to to to to achieve whatever they did and
40:23i hope i hope i still feel like nareen's coming back to racing after many years now
40:28we'll be doing the patient remorse together yeah i hope it opens up uh doors for him where he could
40:33go on to become you know a paid team driver with in the in the world endurance championship you know
40:40i'd like to see nareen in a ferrari or a you know one of the leading brands as a as a factory driver again
40:47yeah i am a hardcore optimist and i'm sure i'm sure it will happen i am sure it will happen and
40:52if it happens together i'll be all the more happy so since you're saying that we're going to see an
40:56f1 champ in india i think a great deal of that is going to be how much you have a conversation about
41:00this in india uh i must tell you that you know when we spoke a few months ago all your fans immediately
41:06started flooding me saying do a video interviews i'm fulfilling their request right now but how can your
41:12fans also you have that large fan army said we had a message for them on what they can do to also
41:17help in spreading the word or motorsport just as they have supported i mean they watch films they
41:25love cinema they love entertainment just like you follow cinema i'd like them to follow motorsports
41:31as well and not just not when i am racing when other drivers represent our country please follow
41:38them you know support them encourage them uh you know uh but like i said i'm extremely grateful to
41:46them yeah to the media to to my firm fraternity fans everybody you know their respective governments
41:53be the state or they be i mean i mean really grateful and this this cannot happen without all of
42:00their support like family my my siblings you know uh imagine having uh someone uh playing the devil's advocate
42:09and letting you know don't do this it's not good for you it would be it's very important that you have
42:15people who who support you who don't stop you but uh sometimes i would say okay as long
42:22they may not support you but as long as they don't discourage you from doing something and i request
42:27everybody i mean there may be somebody in your family wanting to do something you may not support
42:32them but don't discourage them give them time let let them let them attempt you know see see for
42:40themselves you know if it works for them doesn't work for them and just just just don't discourage
42:46people no i think it's a great beautiful message especially because so many of these young fans are so
42:52influenced by what you say that i think that even when you say this it kind of also uh is something
42:57they tend to follow they'll not forgive me if i don't ask you also what's coming up as far as your
43:02films are concerned in the next few months no we will let you know when official announcement happens
43:07so nothing right now the script is the script is getting ready uh nothing we can discuss no no
43:13no it's it's just that you know i'm bound by a contract so i need to wait before we make the uh
43:18formal announcement thank you so much sir for having us here in barcelona for inviting us over
43:24and for giving us all of this time just to have a raise all the very best to do thank you ashita
43:28thank you thanks to uh everyone at india today for having taken the effort coming here to to cover
43:34this weekend yeah thank you so much and i hope i hope uh you know whatever i have said is taken in
43:42good spirits yeah and uh and uh please pray for us please definitely thank you so much thank you
43:48thank you very much take care bye
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