Filmmaker Venkat Prabhu has opened up about witnessing Ajith Kumar in action at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, describing the experience as both thrilling and nerve-wracking.
In a video that has since gone viral, the director, who previously collaborated with Ajith in Mankatha, shared what it felt like to watch the star race with Ajith Kumar Racing from close quarters.
“I wanted to share something which I saw in person with you guys. I recently watched a race at the Yas Marina tracks in Abu Dhabi. Ajith Sir participated in that race along with his team,” Venkat Prabhu said.
Although he has followed motorsport before, even attending Formula 1 in Singapore, he noted that this experience was entirely different. “Basically, I have watched a lot of races. I have even watched F1 in Singapore. I have watched it from a distance,” he explained, adding that the stakes felt far more personal this time. “When we watch a race in which someone we know is participating, the excitement is much greater, and along with it, you also experience more fear.”
The director was particularly struck by the precision and speed of the pit crew. He described how, during a pit stop, tyre changes, fuel checks and other adjustments are completed within seconds. “They do it in a matter of 15 to 17 seconds,” he said. Unlike Formula 1, he pointed out, drivers are also swapped mid-race in this format. “The time taken for one driver to come out and another driver to take his place is astounding… It has to be through a window. I was awe-struck watching Ajith sir do all that.”
Admitting that he is claustrophobic, Venkat Prabhu said even sitting inside such a race car seemed daunting. “To even be seated inside such a car, one might get shortness of breath. "I am very claustrophobic,” he confessed. “I was completely astounded to watch him pursue his passion. It's an amazing thing.”
He also emphasised the inherent risks of the sport. “Cinema itself is difficult. But here, there are no retakes. It is either life or death. Everybody is driving at around 220 km or 260 km an hour,” he remarked. Recalling a crash he witnessed firsthand, he said it was “a terrible crash", though fortunately no one was injured. What impressed him most was Ajith’s team’s reaction: despite being competitors, they were visibly shaken and concerned about the safety of all drivers.
Venkat Prabhu further revealed that he joined Ajith for a pit walk, meeting members of the team and drivers, including Indian racing veteran Narain Karthikeyan. He described the outing as “a beautiful experience".
Highlighting Ajith’s efforts to promote motorsport in India, the director recalled the actor telling him, “It is an amazing sport. Somehow we must create an awareness in our country.” Venkat responded that interest in racing back home has already grown significantly since Ajith took it up.
He also shed light on the team’s meticulous post-race analysis. “Only after half a day, they talk about what went wrong. They sit with the drivers and discuss and analyse,” he said, underscoring the professionalism behind the high-speed spectacle.
For Venkat Prabhu, watching Ajith race was nothing short of “mind-blowing"—a rare glimpse into the actor’s passion beyond cinema.
