8 Times Bollywood stars went all out to promote their movies

For 3 Idiots (2009) starring Aamir Khan, the team launched a nationwide “hide-and-seek” game: Aamir travelled incognito across cities like Varanasi and Kolkata for two weeks, giving clues to locate him, creating real-life buzz ahead of the release.

For My Name Is Khan (2010) with Aamir Khan and Kajol, the stars rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange in New York as a part of the film’s global-tie promotional strategy.

For Ghajini (2008) again with Aamir Khan, the promotion included the actor giving free haircuts to multiplex staff at select cinemas—mirroring his character’s signature haircut—to stir up publicity.

For Fan (2016) starring Shah Rukh Khan, his residence was graffiti-painted as a promotional piece and an official game tied to the film was launched to engage fans deeply.

For Dhoom 3 (2013) with Aamir Khan, the marketing included tie-ups with 17+ major brands (BMW, Mattel, etc.), a motion poster release nearly a year ahead, and a custom mobile game to build pre-release hype.

For Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) starring Hrithik Roshan, Mountain Dew, Gillette and other brands were co-branded; the cast took a road-trip across India culminating in a big outdoor concert to amplify the film’s “live life” theme.

For Dabangg 2 (2012) with Salman Khan, the character Chulbul Pandey appeared on the set of the TV serial Diya Aur Baati Hum to promote the film, blurring fiction and real-world promo.

For The Dirty Picture (2011) with Vidya Balan, the trailer launch was done at a single-screen retro-theatre decorated in the 1980s style (to match the film’s period setting), giving an experiential promotional event.