In January, 2025, the Government of India announced that Tamil star actor Ajith Kumar is being conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honor. Ajith is the fifth Tamil actor to be given this prestigious award, following only legendary Tamil stars like Sivaji Ganesan (1984), Rajinikanth (2000), Kamal Haasan (2014), and the late actor Vijayakanth (Posthumous - 2024). 

Heera Rajagopal is an yesteryear Tamil actress Ajith had openly dated, between 1996 to 1998. Heera quit films in 1999, the same year Ajith entered into a relationship with his now-wife, actress Shalini. While Heera was married to Pushkar Madhav Natu between 2002 to 2006, Ajitth and Shalini celebrated 25 years of marriage, and two children on April 24, 2025. 

When Ajith's Padma Bhushan awards were announced in January, 2025, Heera took to her blogpost to make defamatory statements about Ajith and Shalini. Heera accused Ajith of breaking-up with her without warning, labelling her as a drug addict and cheater in the media, and "grooming his fans" to attack her reputation. Heera also claimed of Ajith's spinal surgeries being "fake", and the actor telling her that he was only marrying Shalini because "she looked like a servant".

While the blogpost made little to no noise back in January, three months later on April 28, 2025 i.e. the day Ajith is set to receive his Padma Bhushan from Indian President Droupadi Murmu, an archived version of Heera's blogpost resurfaced, creating chaos on social media.

However Ajith fans seem unfazed at the attempted defamation. Some of their reactions found online:

Them :-
"Justice for heera"
"AK is a misogynist"

Meanwhile Ajith Kumar with Shalini
planning to visit Agra on his way to home after receiving padma Bhushan:- pic.twitter.com/W1VyU2D38f

— Atheist Bale (@venomous_psych) April 28, 2025

Ajith caging Shalini had me screaming 🤣🤣

Is that why Ajith why never lets go of Shalini’s hand? Is Ajith scared Shalini will run away from his misogynistic control if left alone? Are Ajith’s kid safe in his house?

eXpOsed!

— Alamban (@Alamban11) April 28, 2025

People were just waiting for it 🤣

Heera ku kooda illa, Shalini varaikum sympathy stories poda aarambichitanga. Crazy! 🤣🤣

— Alamban (@Alamban11) April 28, 2025

Rare footage of sexist Ajith Kumar's arrogant behavior towards shalini literally shocking 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/fRKSB7gXY6

— V E N K E Y🕶️ (@Venkey_RMCF) April 28, 2025

trust me bro shalini was forced to hug AK, AK GROOMED BROO🤣🤣 all this was done by an anil what an asshole https://t.co/ZLc2OyFdyA pic.twitter.com/3IifMc1hNz

— suryaaa ᴿᵉᵈ ᴰʳᵃᵍᵒⁿ🐉 (@Surya252044508) April 28, 2025

These guys thirupi adicha pathini vesham poda vendiyadhu 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/4njTSUZfJX

— Frankenstein 😎 (@vicky_talks) April 28, 2025

I am not gonna say that whatever Heera said is false cz we don’t know. Ppl do make mistakes we aren’t aware of the setting such statements were made. But if we think he genuinely meant that

Shalini is a freaking Maniratnam heroine which alr establishes she’s pretty pic.twitter.com/FoqTtW5ooP

— Aara (@Kuzhali_19) April 28, 2025

don’t know if heera’s post was real or fake, but every woman worked with him has given him nothing but a praise. even if it’s her post we don’t claim a 25yrs old info of a drug addict. the only woman’s voice that matter is Shalini’s. now virtual warriors can calm the fuck down

— J A C K ᴹ♚ᴶ (@jacksonTesfaye_) April 28, 2025

ask why on the day he’s getting award but not why after 25 years. There’s no time limit for a girl to open up. Truth whenever said is a truth. PERIODT.

— coffeeandme (@coffeeandme2) April 28, 2025

The last line is my stance as well. Very likely it was a toxic relationship for both. She just didn’t have to add lies about his injury or his fans attacking her that time.

Could’ve just mentioned about the relationship.

— Alamban (@Alamban11) April 28, 2025

adhula accident eh agala ella sypathy nu poturku blatant fucking lie, there is a video where the doc who treated him as speaken about it and the video where his car getting crashed, everyone has thier own fucking reasons.

— suryaaa ᴿᵉᵈ ᴰʳᵃᵍᵒⁿ🐉 (@Surya252044508) April 28, 2025

Not taking any sides, just doing some basic ass research.

— 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐚𝐧 (@salman_zhr) April 28, 2025

Doubt our guy would even care. He will do one of those “Live let live” and ignore it.

— Alamban (@Alamban11) April 28, 2025

I can’t even with these Ajith fans slandering a woman for simply sharing her personal experience something that clearly had a lasting impact on her life. But at the same time, there are some blatant fabrications in her statements like claiming he faked a spine operation or…

— Timorous Enigma (@enigma_timorous) April 28, 2025

We will when she issues statement from her side offically not some yellow notice which was cooked up by half wit anils for their pleasure https://t.co/kc7TKITUEb

— Dutch (@fanboyofnolan) April 28, 2025

Ellam agenda dhaan! Yaruku indha agenda iruku nu oorukae theriyum 😂

— Abbishekh Raaja (@abbi0410) April 28, 2025

I think DMK is behind this attack on Ajith to make the fans of Ajith against Vijay in the upcoming elections. #heera #Ak

— joey ♡ (@joey_tribia) April 28, 2025

❤️❤️🙌 Couple Goals !!

AJITH - SHALINI ! His wife knows that he is a Gentleman ✅ so she is always with him !!

pic.twitter.com/slDdtWGBZY

— Dr.Aazim Kassi〽️ (@AazimKassim) April 28, 2025