by Subhash K Jha

It could be dubbed the biggest multi-starrer of the season. The popular satire Baa Bahu Aur Baby on Star Plus which is aired on weekends will have a guest appearance by Fardeen Khan and Ayesha Takia in the episode on 28 October and Zayed Khan and Esha Deol on the following night.

Explains Star's head honcho Samir Nair, "These film-tv tie-ups are new to our television. But they have proved immensely successful. During the release of Viruddh we undertook the Adarsh Jodi contest. Now for Shaadi No 1 we've each of the film's star pairs appearing on Ba Bahu Aur Baby one after the other. So it's mutually beneficial for us and the film."

No money exchanges hands for these cameo appearances that stars make in television soaps.

"Why should it?" reasons Nair. "Stars and their films get mileage from their brief appearances. The stars don't mind since they're basically playing themselves.But I must tell you Mallika Sherawat was very sweet. She actually played a part—that of a rustic Rajasthani woman—on Star One's Sarabhai Versus Sarabhai as part of the promotion for her release Bachke Rehna Re Baba."

More and more film productions are opting for this unique way of promoting their product. Rakesh Roshan has already tied up with Star for a series of promotional gambits for his forthcoming film Krrish.

Promises Samir Nair, "We've big things lined up during the release of Krrish. Hrithik fans are in for a surprise."