Kollywood heroes - from icons to cameo artistes - seem to follow a new mantra—that of silence. Gone is the eagerness to give out sound bytes to news-hungry reporters. The guys have become subdued and prefer a ‘keep quiet’ approach. Well, let’s see how some of these top guys have steered away from going overdrive on PR strategies.

Rajini – thy silence is golden!

Rajinikanth has never been flamboyant in the media. His words are measured but they pack enough punch without sounding arrogant. Baba bombed because of media hype and hoopla and the superstar knew that. When the media wrote his career off following Baba’s flop he kept his cool. This time around while working in Chandramukhi he kept a low profile and soft pedaled on publicity. However, at the audio release of the film, he made a pointed reference to all those who thought he was finished. “They think that I’m like an elephant, ponderous and cumbersome. No, I am not like an elephant. I’m like a racehorse, swift,” the superstar said, speaking in an idiom typical of his Tamil. But, what hard-hitting words? Man, Chandramukhi became a thunderous hit. Yet, on the silver jubilee celebrations of the film, he did not speak much about himself, but spoke at length about his beliefs and showered praise on every member of the crew. Even for his forthcoming film, Sivaji, he prefers to keep mum. While millions of his fans worldwide watch eagerly about what Thalaivar would say, he only replies with his trademark smile and wave.

Kamal too, now tight lipped

Kamalhassan too has always had a yo-yoing relationship with the media. While he is acknowledged as a master craftsman in cinema, his often-unorthodox views on issues have created a stir in the audience. Of late, he has been focusing on experimentation and innovation to scale greater heights in his cinematic pursuits. He has not let out many details of his forthcoming film, Vaettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, although it has made news for all the wrong reasons. At all the media conferences regarding the film, it was Director Gautham who spoke and not Kamal. Earlier at a New Year Party thrown by Kamal the media was conspicuous by their absence.

Vijay – had his experience.

Vijay, the darling of the masses too had his difficult days. After a string of flops, he had to hold himself, restrain from baits of the press, give a super hit in Thirumalai and prove himself. Even after the success of the movie, he was cautious towards the media. It is only after his chartbuster ’Ghilli’ that he started cultivating a mass image. The hitherto reticent hero has been mingling freely with his fans in programs aired on festive occasions like Deepavali and Pongal. He writes memoirs in magazines and gives interviews.

Ajith – learning the hard way

For Ultimate Star Ajith, his famous (or notorious?) quotes in his spat with another top hero or his take on the superstar Rajinikanth were definitely not in good taste. Suddenly, he lost his magical touch after a series of flops. Then, he restrained himself and focused only on performance. He also decided to give himself a thorough makeover. He stopped giving interviews and his interaction with the media persons was limited to a smile or a wave. He seemed to say, “Hey guys, lemme give a big hit before I speak!” The result is there for everyone to see. A trim and fit Ajith looks dashing in Paramasivan, which has had a good opening at Pongal this year. It has established his reputation as a bankable star and aroused interest on his other projects, Godfather and Tirupathi. The latter is for the big banner, AVM but Ajith is still quite composed whenever he is approached for comment. Two days back at a media conference though upbeat after the marginal success of Paramasivan, Ajith was reticent. He seems to have learnt the lesson, albeit the painful way.

Vikram and Surya - the easy guys!!

Chiyaan Vikram is a hit with the media because of his easy and accessible style of interaction. He does not carry an air of superiority. It could be because he has reached the top after prolonged struggle and he never sounds haughty. Actor Surya too is known for the way he carries himself during interviews in press as well as in television. He seems to be totally relaxed and at home. But off late his special programs on festival days have a sense of going overboard. The pundits show a sign of caution.

Simbu & Dhanush – still the crawlers.

The Gen Y heroes, Simbu and Dhanush are vocal depending on which side of success they are in. Simbu, a regular in the media hit-list, is still to learn the tricks of the trade, while Dhanush consciously keeps a low profile because of an empty cupboard.