Photographs of the 57-year-old embracing the Celebrity Big Brother winner and kissing her on the cheek were splashed across front pages of newspapers last week in India - where public displays of affection are largely taboo.

Shilpa ’definitely not’ going Down Under - April 23 2007
Shilpa Shetty is "definitely not" going into the Australian Big Brother house, says her spokesperson.

The Bollywood beauty was reportedly set to enter the reality TV house on the Gold Coast next month, to "liven up" the proceedings.

But her rep has denied the story, saying: "These reports are untrue. I spoke to her yesterday."

The 31-year-old will be back on our screens soon, appearing in a new film, called My Life In... Metro. The flick sees her star as a bored housewife who embarks on an illicit friendship.

Set in Mumbai, the tale focuses on a string of characters - Shilpa’s story is played out alongside that of a 30-year-old virgin who tries to find love through dating websites, a young man who tries to forge his way in the business world and a husband who cheats on his wife.

It will be released in the UK on May 11 and Shilpa is set to attend the world premiere in London’s Leicester Square on May 8.

Lawyers complain about Gere and Shilpa - April 18 2007
Three Indian lawyers have filed complaints in court against Hollywood actor Richard Gere and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty for kissing in public, a news report has said.

The complaints were filed a day after angry crowds in several Indian cities burned effigies of Richard Gere after he took Celebrity Big Brother winner Shetty into his arms and kissed her several times on the cheeks.

It took place during an Aids awareness event in the Indian capital of New Delhi.

Shilpa has defended the actor. She told GMTV presenter Penny Smith: "I think too much has been made out of something that was really quite unimportant.

"He was trying to strike his dance pose from Shall We Dance, his previous movie, and he kind of, you know, just bent over me and he kissed me on the cheeks - I mean, that was it!"

Earlier this week magistrate Dinesh Chandra Gupta in the north western Indian city of Jaipur ordered a private television news channel, NDTV, to send the original video recording of the incident by next week, the Press Trust of India news agency said.

Shilpa defends Gere after riots - April 17 2007
Shilpa Shetty today defended Richard Gere for kissing her repeatedly at an Aids awareness event.

Speaking live from Mumbai on GMTV this morning, the Bollywood beauty said: "Oh my God, so much has been blown out of proportion."

Angry crowds in several Indian cities - where public displays of affection are largely taboo - were incited to burn effigies of the Hollywood actor and the Celebrity Big Brother winner after photographs of their embrace on Sunday were printed on newspapers’ front pages.

Shilpa told GMTV presenter Penny Smith: "I think too much has been made out of something that was really quite unimportant.

"He was trying to strike his dance pose from Shall We Dance, his previous movie, and he kind of, you know, just bent over me and he kissed me on the cheeks - I mean, that was it!

"Then they kept playing and replaying it on the channels and people didn’t even know why we were there, and that kind of saddened me and infuriated me.

"People never even talked about the issues."

Shilpa said she did not believe that the effigy-burners - who in Mumbai were members of the right-wing Hindu nationalist group Shiv Sena - were typical of her country.