3 min readHyderabadFeb 22, 2026 04:57 PM IST
Shalini rarely makes public appearances or speaks to the media. So, when she does, people pay attention. At the JFW Movie Awards 2026 this week, she made two remarks that have since been widely circulated: one personal, and the other addressing the long-running narrative of rivalry between her husband Ajith Kumar and Vijay.
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Shalini revealed on stage that her daughter Anoushka and son Aadvik have not watched any of her films. She described a pattern that will feel familiar to many parents. Every time she plans to sit and watch one of her movies with them, they push it back. “Mom, we’ll watch it later,” she said, imitating their response. She then used the award stage as an opportunity to make a direct appeal to them, asking if they could please watch just one film.
The detail that got people talking was about Alaipayuthey. She said her daughter had recently come to her after a friend described the film’s story, said it sounded beautiful, and told her she wanted to watch it together. Even that did not happen.
Alaipayuthey, released in 2000 and directed by Mani Ratnam, remains one of the most loved Tamil films of its era. It was also the last major film of Shalini’s acting career before she stepped away from cinema after marrying Ajith Kumar that same year. The fact that her own daughter only heard about it through a friend, rather than watching it at home, is the kind of irony that her comment made plain without overstating.
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The second moment on stage was about Ajith and Vijay. Fan rivalries between the two stars have run for decades, regularly turning hostile on social media and beyond. When asked about Ajith’s equation with Vijay, Shalini kept her answer brief and direct: “It’s a good relationship. They are both very happy for each other’s success. It’s beautiful.” It was a measured response that gave nothing away beyond its plain meaning, but that was enough to dominate the conversation around the event.
Shalini had a well-regarded acting career in Tamil and Malayalam cinema through the 1990s before retiring. Outside of occasional social media posts and appearances at events connected to Ajith’s racing career, she has stayed largely away from the public eye.
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