Bollywood celebrities are increasingly taking to social media to reach out to the public

Until recently, social media was just another promotional tool for Bollywood celebs. And while it continues to be so, social media now assumes a far greater importance in their lives. Today, actors and filmmakers prefer to share a statement or clarify their stand through a tweet or a post instead of sending out a press release. HitList points out a few recent instances when Bollywood stars leveraged the power of social media.

Anushka Sharma
Latest release: Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013)
Recent instances: Just when the media couldn't help but notice her swollen lips, the actress decided to come clean by sharing a rather long tweet. Here she mentioned that she is currently wearing a temporary lip-enhancing tool for her role in the Anurag Kashyap film, Bombay Velvet. In fact, actress Sonam Kapoor later tweeted a line in her support.

Amitabh Bachchan

Latest release: Satyagraha (2013)
Recent instances: Not many can forget that the legendary actor let the world know about his granddaughter's birth on Twitter. So far he has remained active online and his posts cover a range of subjects and not just cinema. His tweets vary from trivia to opinion on films and events. Of course, he has successfully avoided controversies.

Abhay Deol

Latest release: One By Two (2014)
Recent instances: While taking on T-Series over royalty issues, this actor-turned-producer took to Facebook to share his stand with the public. His post spoke about his fight against the practice of signing contracts that eat into the remuneration of singers and music composers. Not surprisingly, his move was supported by singers as well as musicians.

Shabana Azmi

Latest release: Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola (2013)
Recent instances: When it comes to being vocal on social media, this veteran actress is always at the forefront. Her online posts shed light on the social problems rampant in the country, her thoughts on Urdu poetry and life. Last year, she defended Farhan Akhtar's performance in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, after Naseeruddin Shah openly criticised him.

John Abraham

Latest release: Madras Cafe (2013) Recent instances: The model-turned-actor-turned-producer, in a rare moment of online candour, announced his marriage to girlfriend Priya Runchal on Twitter. With this act, he effectively quelled rumours about his secret wedding. Prior to this incident, John had used social media to promote his production ventures on several occasions.

Shekhar Kapur
Latest release: Ishkq in Paris (2013)
Recent instances: Mincing words is not something one can associate with this celebrated filmmaker. Although his next directorial venture has been delayed for years now, he has been vocal on Twitter about his stand on serious topics. He once said that he likes the idea of communicating directly with the people instead of reaching out through other media.

Shah Rukh Khan

Latest release: Chennai Express (2013)
Recent instances: Before King Khan signed up for Twitter, we didn't know he was a philosopher in disguise. Apart from waxing eloquent about life, the superstar uses the digital platform to either express his opinion on an issue or to engage with his fans. Over the years, he has often taken to the social media to clarify a thing or two.

Uday Chopra

Latest release: Dhoom 3 (2013)
Recent instances: Very few Bollywood actors are as interactive and funny as Uday Chopra. Last year, this actor-producer went a step ahead by courting Nargis Fakhri on Twitter. In fact, he even declared his retirement from acting on the same networking site. Who needs formal channels of communication when you're just a few words away from your audiences?

Karan Johar

Latest release: Hasee Toh Phasee (2014)
Recent instances: The director-producer loves to indulge in online drama - be it getting into a verbal duel with Ram Gopal Varma or taking sides in other celeb controversies. In recent times, he has cleared the air about his films. For instance, he recently stated that his film Shuddhi will release during Christmas next year.

Salman Khan

Latest release: Jai Ho (2014)
Recent instances: He's one of the few Bollywood stars who doesn't mind posting a sentence full of typos. But then, that's what sets him apart. In recent times, he has not only encouraged fans to watch his and friend Aamir Khan's films but also to dispel rumours revolving around his personal and professional life.

Missing in action
Anurag Kashyap was among the first in the film industry to embrace social media and its power. Through his tweets, he supported many budding filmmakers.

But after the Oscar selection committee controversy, the filmmaker decided to take a break from Twitter and he is yet to return to the timeline.