Shilpa Shetty

Profession: Actress
Place/Date of Birth: Tamil Nadu, India, 08 June 2020
Assiociated with: Celebrity Big Brother, Jade Goody

"Jade and Jo need professional help, not condemnation. I am someone who believes in karma ... what you have sowed will be repaid.

"Danielle I’m still ok with. What she did was horrible and upsetting, but she’s very young and stupid.

Shilpa Shetty is crowned CBB queen - Jan 28 2007
Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has been voted the winner of Celebrity Big Brother 2007.

Shilpa was the firm favourite to win the contest, considered the most controversial in the show’s history after she became the victim of alleged racist bullying by fellow contestant Jade Goody.

She beat the other last remaining contestant singer Jermaine Jackson, the 52-year-old brother of Michael Jackson.

Shilpa let out a lengthy scream when host Davina McCall announced the vote, saying: "I can’t believe it."

Bookies had the Indian actress at 1/6 odds-on favourite to win.

At an interview immediately after his eviction, Jermaine told Davina of the race row: "I happen to like Jade. She is who she is. But Shilpa is from another culture and they did not fit."

Shilpa to cash in on new-found fame? - Jan 25 2007
She may only have been known to Bollywood fans before joining CBB - but now it seems that Shilpa is being bombarded with a host of TV offers for when she leaves the house.

The 31-year-old is even being given the chance to host her own reality show based on cricket, reports The Daily Star.

The star’s agent has been inundated with offers to work here which could see her bring home £1 million.

At the top of the list is a £100,000 offer to host Cricket Star - based on the lines as The X Factor - with rising athletes hoping to impress judges with their sporting talents.

Already a hit in India - where it is fronted by Shilpa’s friend Shweta Salve - TV execs reckon the Bollywood star would be the perfect fit for the UK version.

A source said: "We’d love to bring it to Britain in the summer, It’s been a big hit in India. And who better to host than Shilpa?

"She’s proved a favourite with viewers, so she’s the ideal choice for the show."

Shilpa fans burn effigy - Jan 17 2007
Fans of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty took to the streets today to protest against the alleged mistreatment she has endured on Celebrity Big Brother.

Accusations about racist abuse on the show has been front page news in India, prompting about 25 people, most of them men, to march down a street in Patna, an eastern Indian city, chanting "Down with Big Brother".

The protesters, who said they were part of the Shilpa Shetty Fans Association, managed to burn the Big Brother effigy -- straw and paper covered by a white cloth -- before being dispersed by police.

In New Delhi, India’s capital, the anger over the star’s situation took a more subdued form with an official saying the government planned to lodge a protest about the matter with British authorities.

"We are awaiting a report about the show. The government will take appropriate measures once it gets to know the full details," said Anand Sharma, India’s junior minister for external affairs.

"Racism has no place in civilised society."

The 31-year-old has been repeatedly reduced to tears, and newspapers in India reported Wednesday that thousands of Indians have sent e-mails to the show’s broadcaster, Channel 4, complaining about alleged racist remarks.

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Biography

Shilpa Shetty was born in Tamil Nadu, India, on June 8, 1975, to models, Surendra Shetty and Sunanda Shetty.

At the age of 15 she followed in her parents footsteps and signed up to a modelling agency with the goal of becoming a ramp model. However at the age of 17 she took her first steps on to the silver screen when she was offered the leading role in the film Gaata Rahe Mera Dil opposite Rahul Roy. Sadly the film never got completed and was stalled, but she went on to accept a role in Baazigar, opposite Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. This became a super hit and Shilpa earned a Filmfare nomination for Best New Comer.

Following her initial success, Shilpa wasn’t so lucky on the movie side of business and her next two films flopped. It wasn’t until Main Khiladi Tu Anari that she caught the eye of Bollywood. Her solo song featured in the movie propelled her to fame and she quickly became the hottest thing in India.

After more unlucky production choices and more flops, Shilpa finally sealed her fate in celebrity-dom and redefined herself as a quality actress as well as a Bollywood beauty when she signed to appear in Phir Milenge. The movie dealt with the subject of HIV/AIDS and Shilpa’s character was HIV positive. For this role she earned praise from the Giant International Award and Indo-Pak’s Young Achiever.

Since then she has gone onto star in a number of successful hits, has become an AIDS activist and represents PETA in India.

Her most recent escapade, as a contestant in Celebrity Big Brother, has brought her international fame as well as sparking a global discussion on racism in the modern world.
October 2007