Ajith started his film career at the age of 21 as an actor Telugu movie Prema Pustagam in 1992.[1]. His next film was in Tamil entitled Amaravathi for which he was paid a token salary of Rs.390.[2] His second Tamil film Pavithra[3] was delayed for 17 months because of a racing injury that left him bed-ridden. Both films received appreciation from the Tamil audience.[4] It was his third Tamil film that released 10 months later in 1995, Aasai, directed by Vasanthan and produced by Mani Rathnam which helped to establish his career as a teen icon in Kollywood.[5]Ajith's first big budget venture Aasai but only after Agathiyan's Vaanmathi and particularly the National Award winning Kadhal Kottai established him as an accomplished actor in Kollywood. Ajith later played in Amitabh Bachchan's debut Tamil production[6] in Ullasam. This venture paid him a salary of over Rs.1 million for the first time ever.
A string of successful movies followed, most notably Kadhal Mannan and Aval Varuvala and the multiple award winning Vaali which cast him alongside Simran. Vaali saw a new peak in Ajith's career. He played a dual role in the film as a deaf-and-dumb twin who lusts after his naive brother's wife.[7][8]After Amarkalam[9] with his fiancee Shalini, Ajith set up his own distribution company AK International with office located within the premises of NIC Arts which was run by his friend-producer-distributor S.S.Chakravarthi. This office was shifted in 2006.In 2000, Ajith was cast alongside Mammooty, Abbas, Tabu and Aishwarya Rai in Kandukondain Kandukondain. The film's audio rights were sold for a record Rs.22 million, which still stands.[10] Mugavari followed as Ajith acted in alongside Jyothika.[11]