The actress stars in emotional new film Life In A Metro, which premiered in London’s Leicester Square, but insists she isn’t abandoning her Bollywood roots.

"I will do what the character demands. There is no set thing in my head that I’m not going to do glamorous roles," said the 31-year-old.

"I’m an actor and there are very few actors who can dabble with both commercial and art cinema together."

And the Celebrity Big Brother winner believes hew new film, which sees her play bored housewife Shikha, has wide appeal.

"I just absolutely loved the fact that you can’t really call Metro an art film, even though it’s so realistic, because it’s very very commercially viable as well and extremely entertaining," she said. "It’s a different genre for me."

Life In A Metro opens in UK cinemas on May 11.

Shilpa: I try and keep myself happy - May 11 2007
Shilpa Shetty admits it’s tough pleasing everybody all the time - but says she focuses on making herself happy.

The actress stars in new film Life In A Metro (see photos of the World premiere of ’Life in a... Metro’) and says there are similarities between her and her character Shikha, as they are both balancing competing interests.

"It’s a tough job to do right," said the 31-year-old. "But you can’t please everyone. At the end of the day I try and keep myself happy. Call me selfish or whatever. I try and do the right thing. And sometimes, unknowingly, you offend people.

"But I know Metro is a film people are going to like universally because we haven’t offended any sensibilities."

She added: "The character was so believable for me and still so deeply rooted with the Indian culture.

"It’s a tightrope walk for her, to actually balance her family and then to suddenly have all the reasons and the opportunity to get out of that marriage but she chooses not to. It just goes to show how culturally bound she is.

"And that’s how 95% of Indian women actually react. I’m sure a lot of people fall out of love in marriage, a lot of people go through unhappy marriages but most women actually are the reason they’re able to stick the marriage together because they are the ones who are very giving, more resilient, more emotionally strong and more committed and also become the sacrificial goat in the process."

She added: "I just absolutely loved the character - it’s so Indian."

Life In A Metro opens on May 11.

Shilpa to launch perfume - May 9 2007
Hot on the heels of Coleen and Christina Aguilera, Shilpa Shetty has revealed she’s launching her own perfume.

The Bollywood beauty, who’s in London for the premiere of her new film Life In A Metro, will be unveiling her signature scent within the next two months.

The 31-year-old said launching her perfume - which she’s calling S2 - is a "huge step" for her.

"I’ll be the first Indian girl to be launching my perfume mainstream. I hope everyone will like it," she said.

Shilpa is also thrilled to be making history with the launch of her new film, in which she plays bored housewife Shikha. It’s the first Indian flick to premiere in London’s Leicester Square.

"For them to actually achieve a Leicester Square premiere, let me tell you, is a huge feat and it’s a great compliment to the entire team," said the star.

"This is the first ever Leicester Square premiere for an Indian movie. That in itself says a lot."