On Saturday the city of Salem in Tamil Nadu saw a swarm of people come out on the streets in joyous anticipation, almost as if a politician was visiting.

However, what arrived was not a convoy, but a single car with south Indian actress Nayanthara, who had come to inaugurate the clothing company Kalyan Silks' showroom on Omalur main road in the city.

In the past, it was rare for a South Indian actress to command such an audience whereas fans worshipped the ground that male superstars walked on, and turned up by the droves wherever they went.

Pictures have surfaced on the internet that show a large crowd gathered around Nayanthara’s car in the hope of catching a glimpse of the actress.

Nayanthara recently starred in Telugu movie "Mayuri," a horror film which is the dubbed version of Tamil movie "Maya" directed by Ashwin Saravanan. For some time now, she has commanded a lot of respect from her fans, which is a welcome change from the past.

Even actresses like Manju Warrier and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who are the brand ambassadors for Kalyan Jewellers, have drawn huge crowds during their visits to inaugurate showrooms across the country.

See some of the other photos from Nayanthara's Salem visit here.