delivered a career-defining performance in K. S. Ravikumar’s Varalaru (History). Playing three roles—a gentle classical dancer, a menacing womanizer, and an old father—Ajith proved he had acting chops beyond his charm. The film is famous for two things: the iconic "Ajith in a saree" reveal (which broke the internet, pre-internet) and the heavy, Shakespearean drama of a family curse. It’s a movie that made grown men cry and fans cheer.
: A neo-noir thriller directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon and starring Kamal Haasan as DCP Raghavan, it followed closely with a worldwide gross of ₹45–50 crore. Sillunu Oru Kaadhal
2006 featured a mix of cult classics, gritty dramas, and romantic hits that are still celebrated today: