Rumor mills in Chennai seem to be in top business these days. Ever since Simbu and Nayantara had an "accidental" meeting in a star hotel, Vishal and Trisha's names too have been pulled in rather emphatically.

Simbu and Nayantara's 'love affair' during the filming of 'Vallavan' was well known and their onscreen chemistry fueled the fire. And then the 'break-up' happened leading to a plethora of speculation. Both tended to their businesses (filmmaking) and the fire seemed to have died down. But then there was a faint semblance of smoke leading to the thought that 'there can be no smoke without fire'. Both sitting next to each other in a protest meeting on the Cauvery issue, with countenances that revealed an untold story. They appeared as though there were vacant seats next to them.

Their supposed 'patch-up' was the icing on the cake. And what's more…. news of Vishal and Trisha being instrumental for the patch up became top news.

The man who seems to be in the headlines rather constantly for 'associations' with women, Simbu, denied emphatically about a 'patch-up' terming the conversation as a casual chat. If he had left it at that, things might have died down. But then our-man-flint has literally fed the press with delicious content by saying that 'Nayantara is in love with another actor'. Many started wondering if Simbu had been appointed Naynatara's spokesman.

Speculations started with all permutations and combinations in mind. Since Vishal and Trisha were present during the supposed 'patch-up', grapevine worked over-time with two possibilities. One is that 'new lovers' Vishal and Trisha wanted to get Simbu and Nayantara together. Another version was that the actor mentioned by Simbu was none other than Vishal.

Vishal and Nayantara's sizzling 'cuddly….cuddly' stills from the movie 'Sathyam' cried out loud about a 'hot relationship' happening.

This prompted Vishal who is known for his clear way of speaking to come out and categorically deny any love affair with Nayantara. However he said, 'we meet up every week as with other people as well just as colleagues from any industry do'. He also added in a jocular vein that Nayantara would not act with him again especially because of the 'torture' he had subjected her to during filming. He had wanted her to reduce weight and get in shape for a song which she obliged and said it had done a world of good for the song sequence.

But then the usually unambiguous Vishal has also added some fuel by saying that he is in love with an actress and found nothing wrong if an actor and an actress marry. He however did not name the actress.

'Do people consider it strange for a software engineer to marry another software engineer? Then why shouldn't an actor marry an actress?' he asks.

He also denied 'arranging' the meeting between Simbu and Nayantara by saying that when the two were conversing, the lights came on because the party was over and that he along with his friends left the place.

Who is the actress Vishal is in love with and who is the actor Simbu claims Nayantara to be in love with? These questions actually add fuel big time. In a country where 'freedom of expression' is considered vital, there can be no end to the 'guess-work' these actors have subjected the media into.

Hollywood producers were famous for spreading rumors on their leading stars just before movies got released in the 1930s and 1940s. This was a very successful marketing ploy that generated loads of money. People flocked to theaters to see the onscreen chemistry.

Is Tamil Cinema following the trend now?…..one has to wonder seriously….