Ajith Kumar admits he has sacrificed family time to pursue racing, says he doesn't want to force kids to act or race

In a recent interview on the sidelines of a 24-hour endurance race, Ajith Kumar spoke about the support he has received from Shalini. Here's what he said.

Tamil actor-racer Ajith Kumar was in Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday to take part in a 24-hour endurance race via Ajith Kumar Racing. In an interview with India Today on the sidelines of the race, he admitted that he has sacrificed family time to pursue a career in motosports, crediting his wife, Shalini, for holding the fort. Here’s what he said.

Ajith Kumar on sacrificing family time for sports

Ajith Kumar and Shalini with their children Anoushka and Aadvik at a motosport event in Barcelona.

Ajith admitted in the interview that while he has been pursuing racing, his wife has supported him by taking care of everything. He said, “There are so many things that Shalini is handling. If not for her support, I wouldn’t be able to do all this. Looking after the home, the children, when I am away, it is not just a sacrifice on my side. The children hardly get to see me, and I miss them as much as they miss me. These are the things that are never seen or understood. But when you love something so dearly, you have to make your sacrifices.”

Ajith mentioned that when he and Shalini married in 2002, he briefly got back to racing, and she was there with him at every event. She only took a step back to look after their kids, Anoushka Kumar and Aadvik Kumar, once they were born. Talking about not wanting to force his children to follow in his footsteps, the actor-racer said, “My son loves it too – he’s started go-karting, but not on a serious level yet. I’ll give him time to decide if he really wants to pursue it. Be it films or racing, I would not want to force my views on them. I want them to come on their own and support them in every way possible.”

About Ajith and Shalini