Indian actor Ajith Kumar's car crashes during practice session in Dubai

Indian movie star Ajith Kumar has escaped unhurt after his Porsche crashed during a practice session for a race in Dubai.

A video posted by his team on their official Instagram page shows the car spinning a few times before crashing into the barriers at Dubai Autodrome. “He walks away unscathed … another day in the office … that’s racing!” read the caption.

The 53-year-old Tamil actor is set to race in 24H Dubai 2025, scheduled for the end of the week, as team owner and driver of Ajith Kumar Racing. His manager, Suresh Chandra, reportedly told Indian media outlets that the actor is “unhurt”. "He was driving at a speed of 180 kmph when this happened," he shared.

Kumar’s teammates are drivers Mathieu Detry, Fabian Duffieux and Cameron McLeod. For the race, the team drives for 24 hours in a relay, with each member driving for six hours.

Video of Kumar testing the Ferrari 488 EVO Challenge at the Dubai Autodrome went viral in September, sparking reports that he could quit his acting career. But, his film Vidaamuyarchi is scheduled for release on January 10, confirming his plans to juggle both careers.

Last September, Mr Chandra said Kumar would participate in several international racing series, starting with the “competitive @24hseries European series in the @porsche 992 GT3 cup category”.

In an interview with sports presenter Suhail Chandhok, Kumar said: “Racing is the only time I feel whole.”

Kumar, who was born in the city of Thanjavur, in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has starred in more than 60 movies and won numerous awards.