Today is the 18th wedding anniversary of Kollywood's most celebrated star couple Thala Ajith and Shalini.  For most filmi marriages there is a long courtship involved with the actor and actress mostly starring together in many movies which give them a chance to move with each other.  But Ajith and Shalini starred together in just one film 'Amarkalam' and that too initially they did not hit it off and were just on friendly terms as proffessionals.

It is well documented that cupid struck when for a scene Ajith had to wield a knife and threaten Shalini but accidently cut her hand.  The care that Ajith showed till the wound healed impressed Shalini.  There is also an interesting trivia about how the mass hero proposed to the love of his life by taping the song "Unnodu Vaazhatha" song from 'Amarkalam' on loop mode and giving it to her to listen.  Music director Bharadwaj was the first outsider who came to know that the hero and heroine of his film had become lovebirds.

Though Ajith is a Hindu Brahmin and Shalini a Protestant Christian, without much fuss after a few months after the release of 'Amarkalam', they tied the knot on April 24th 2000.  The wedding reception was a grand affair attended by the who is who of Kollywood including Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Prabhu, Prashanth, Vijay, T.R., STR., Ramarajan and others with thier families.

Though Shalini quit acting to look after her household duties she continues to pursue her passion for badminton.  Ajith has on many occassions conceded that the woman behind his success if most definitely his wife Shalini and the duo continue to be a model couple in Kollywood and proud parents of Anoushka and Adhvik Ajith.