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Ajay Mathew's star trek

The pilot boy turns three film-old by acting in Don Max's 10 Kalpanakal.

As a child, you must have been used to the words ‘aim for the skies’ from your parents to emphasise the importance of good education or career. Looks like Ajay Mathew took the words literally and aimed for the skies by earning his commercial pilot spurs. Considering that his father was in the Air Force and the Navy, Ajay’s passion for flying is hardly surprising. Soon after his 12th, he went to Australia for his pilot training and did his remaining flying in Hyderabad where he earned his flying licence.

What is surprising is Ajay’s turn as an actor in the Don Max directed film 10 Kalpanakal, which was the result of a happy chain of events. He explains, “I happened to meet Don Max who is my immediate neighbour and he told me about the script of 10 Kalapanakal. This happened two years back and we became very close friends. Meanwhile, directors Lal and Siddique are my family friends and they were starting their project King Liar in which I did a small role.

Soon after that I got an invitation from Don’s friend Joshy who was making his directorial debut. I have a central role in that film too which has a lot of known actors.” Technically 10 Kalpanakal is Ajay’s third movie in which he plays special investigative officer Shyam and an aide of Meera Jasmine.

Now, Meera Jasmine is known to be a very moody and temperamental actress. So how was it acting opposite her? Ajay says, “I was very scared because everyone said the same. But frankly, she has been the sweetest and nicest person I have met. She reminded me of my older sister and she has this big smile on her face and is completely non- interfering though encouraging. She does not have any attitude and in fact everybody was very nice to me on the sets.”

Ajay’s brush with films was not totally out of the blue; his acquaintance with Siddique-Lal stretches to a 20-year period during which time he had visited the sets of the duo’s hit films. He adds, “Although I never wanted to be an actor, I have always liked the glamour, fame and associated perks of filmdom. Flying was always my first passion thanks to my dad though they did encourage me to act. But I was adamant about getting my pilot’s licence because I wanted a fall back career. But right now films are my priority. It was Don and his wife who mentored me and encouraged me to act.” Ajay is currently in the process of signing up for his fourth project in Malayalam.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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