One has recently seen her spread AIDS awareness through the medium of cinema in her film "Phir Milenge".

Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty is now striving to create awareness about the dreaded disease through the medium of television.

Shilpa will feature in 'Haath Se Haath Mila', a new reality show on AIDS, to be aired on Doordarshan from tonight.

Produced by the BBC World Service Trust in partnership with the National AIDS Control Organisation, 'Haath Se Haath Mila' aims to harness the power of Bollywood, India's most powerful media platform today, to harness awareness for AIDS in the country, Andrew Whitehead, the director of BBC World Service Trust in India, told reporters here.

Speaking on the occasion, Shilpa, who earlier played an AIDS patient in Revathi's 'Phir Milenge', said,''playing an HIV-afflicted person in 'Phir Milenge' made me realise the numerous travails an AIDS patient has to undergo in society.

So, I consider it my privilege if I can use my popularity in any way to help spread awareness for this dreaded disease.'' ''Haath Se Haath Mila' is a weekly youth-focussed reality show, being produced by the BBC as part of its mass media project to tackle AIDS in India, funded by the British Government's department for international development, Mr Whitehead said.

The show is based on an exciting and innovative concept wherein AIDS awareness is interwoven with a story of a 'Yuva Star' - a young achiever whose work revolves around AIDS awareness - and his interactions with a top Bollywood star.

Accordingly, the series features top film stars like Shilpa, Raveena Tandon and Vivek Oberoi who interact with the Yuva stars and share with them their stories and experience.

''The whole idea of the show is to touch people's lives. It is an inspiring programme which will help young men and women became aware about HIV/AIDS, and will tackle the tremendous issues of stigma and discrimination,''Anu Malhotra, the creative head of the series, said.

On roping in top Bollywood stars for the show, she said,''the Bollywood factor is there to entertain - not only to get us eyeballs and high TRPs but also to be inspirational and aspirational for our viewers.''

Talking about her participation in the show, Shilpa, who features in the story of one of the Yuva Stars spanning three episodes, said''meeting Shanti was a touching experience. Here was a mother of two who had contracted HIV from her husband, and yet she loved her husband very much and she has such a joie de vivre for life. After interacting with her, I can say that I am happy to be a part of the project.''

Other stars who have expressed an interest in the series and may participate in it include Tabu, Fardeen Khan, John Abraham, Bipasha Basu, Abhishek Bachchan and Suneil Shetty.

Also present at the launch of the series were the director General of NACO, K Sujatha Rao and Deputy Director General of Doordarshan Usha Bhasin as well as some of the Yuva Stars.