Aamir Khan and Gul Panag for Tata Sky

A 10-second shot showing Aamir Khan engaged in household chores peaked everyone’s curiosity. Is it a new film, wondered some. If the teasers hit the buzzer pronto, then what unfolded a week later was a nice little story. It turned out to be a commercial for direct-to-home service provider Tata Sky, with Aamir having the dimpled Gul Panag for company. The ad was about a husband uncharacteristically trying to appease his wife — by rustling up breakfast, readying her lunch pack and volunteering to drop in at the vegetable market on his way back after work — much to the consternation of the wife. Reason? He wants to watch a crucial cricket final and hopes that his “good conduct” during the day will soften his wife enough to let go of her saas-bahu darshan for the evening.

The slice-of-life ad grabbed eyeballs, the Aamir-Gul on-screen chemistry and nonk-jhonk making this 60-seconder a delight to watch. It’s fun — Gul realises that her husband’s change in attitude has all been for a cricket match and Aamir innocently goes: “Match? Aaj match hai?”; and she “beats” him with a cushion and he stares mischievously out of the corner of his eye. The reactions are spontaneous, their playfulness lights up the screen.

Following the success of the first ad, the two are now back with a second where son-in-law Aamir is engaged in a long and animated conversation with his mom-in-law even as a cricket match is in progress, much to the surprise of wife Gul. The because? The option that allows him to pause the match, record it and watch it at leisure later. Like the first ad, the chemistry between the two is great. How about a film with Aamir and Gul?

Chemistry quotient: 8.5/10

Vidya Balan and Madhavan for Airtel

The reel-life couple of Guru made their chemistry in the ad look oh-so-real. Better than a movie. The husband who can't keep away from the wife, calling her every five minutes to whisper sweet nothings; the wife who calls up the cricket-crazy husband asking him to tidy the house for an evening party and then calls him back to ensure that he has moved his gaze away from the television; the husband and wife going off on a holiday together and the husband paying the mobile phone bill through an easy payment option on his cellphone, the wife none the wiser.

Epitomising a young urban couple, Vidya and Madhavan’s comfort with each other translated into crackling chemistry on screen. Madhavan seemed at ease as the doting husband while Vidya looked much better than she has managed to in any recent film. The two were easily the best in the ensemble line-up of the Airtel DTH ad, stealing the thunder from the Saif-Kareena jodi.

Chemistry quotient: 9/10

Abhay Deol and Raima Sen for Airtel

Many thought it to be an extension of the Abhay-Raima starrer Manorama Six Feet Under. In its endeavour to tug at Indian heartstrings by depicting the common man's relationship with his cellphone, Airtel roped in Abhay and Raima for the ad. Husband Abhay Deol sets off on a journey, leaving behind his new wife, Raima. Even as tears well up in her eyes, the tinkle of a mobile phone interrupts her thoughts. Surprised and unable to locate the source of the ringtone, she goes looking and eventually finds it in the cupboard. She says “hello”, and her eyes light up as she hears her husband’s voice at the other end.

The duo liven up the screen. The husband giving the wife’s cheeks an affectionate squeeze before he sets off and she peering down the balcony rails to catch a glimpse of his departing figure as he bids goodbye is, well, rather nice.

Chemistry quotient: 8/10

Sushma Reddy and Niketan Madhok for Limca

They may not be as big a name as the rest on this list, but model Niketan Madhok and model, actor, host Sushma Reddy are a riot in the Limca Fresh Ho Jao ad. Sushma and Niketan down a bottle of Limca, break into a carefree jig, arrest audience attention and hold it. Sushma brings the correct amount of freshness and spontaneity to her little black dress, while Niketan matches her enthusiasm frame by frame. The making of a new Bolly pair? Who knows!

Chemistry quotient: 8/10

Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor for Airtel

Airtel’s advertising expenditure is hitting the roof. After Vidya-Madhavan and Abhay-Raima, the mobile services major recently roped in Bollywood’s most-talked about couple for an ad. But the two didn’t even share the same frame! Saif had old friend Shah Rukh Khan for company in this one. The lovelorn Chhote Nawab attempts to patch up with girlfriend Kareena after a tiff (in the ad, of course!) and devises means to send her a voice message saying “I miss you so much,” effective enough to have her running back into his arms.

Both a stubble-sporting Saif and a disinterested looking Kareena seem to be simply going through the motions, which is more physics than chemistry. The Saif-SRK equation is a tad better, but aren’t we quite tired of having to look at pseudo-gay men through Kantaben’s eyes?

Saif-Shah Rukh chemistry quotient: 4/10

Saif-Kareena chemistry quotient: 2/10