Shilpa's dilemma - Chicago or Bombay Dreams

Shilpa Shetty has been offered the role of Roxie Hart in the West End musical Chicago. But what of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams? Looks like Shilpa has a tough choice on her hands.

FULL COVERAGE (on this blog)
Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother

More trouble for Shilpa on the home front

This time from Bollywood director Anubhav Sinha's wife Ratna who hasn't taken too kindly to Shilpa Shetty's friendship with her husband. Read more here

FULL COVERAGE (on this blog)
Shilpa Shetty's stint on Big Brother

UK celebrity lashes out at Shilpa's attitude

Shilpa Shetty might be in the limelight in Britain but she's facing quite a few brickbats as well. The latest to join the 'Hate Shilpa' bandwagon is sixty-something TV horse-racing pundit John McCririck.

McCririck, a former Celebrity Big Brother contestant himself, let flow a flurry of anti-Shilpa comments during a television interview.

According to him, the Bollywood actress is "up herself".

"She's no wonder girl. How many times has she had sex ? Probably very few and not very often. These girls are very precious. Their bodies are so special that no man may penetrate it. She is difficult."

Well, McCririck can't be accused of racism, can he? But isn't there a law against making remarks like that?

In other (more positive) news, Shilpa now has a work permit in Britain - very necessary for her to make money from interviews and public appearances. All thanks to NRI Keith Vaz who took a personal interest in the case.

Currently in Mumbai, Shilpa will soon be back in London to take part in the Zee Carnival from February 16. This time around she will shake a leg with the likes of Priyanka Chopra and Esha Deol. A Bollywood onslaught - seems like it.

ALSO READ
Shilpa in a Hugh Grant flick!
Shilpa fever rocks British Parliament
Shilpa's life after Big Brother
SPOOF - Shilpa nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Shilpa wins: The final moments
Day 26
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

VIDEOS
The Best of Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother
And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa fever rocks British Parliament

The Indian actress met UK Prime Minister Tony Blair today (has he ever met Big Brother winners before?) and caused a near riot at the House of Commons with a posse of mediapersons and even MPs queuing up for a glimpse.

Shilpa was all praises for Blair, who along with wife Cherie gifted her a signed photo of the House (of Commons not Big Brother).

"He said I had carried myself with the utmost dignity. I thanked him for the support he showed. He was very, very sweet. I feel like Britain has become my second home. People show me such love and warmth."

The highlight of the tour - The menu. There was salmon, there was chicken and also a Shilpa's Delight for dessert.

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Shilpa wins: The final moments
Day 26
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

ALSO READ
Shilpa in a Hugh Grant flick!
Shilpa's life after Big Brother
SPOOF - Shilpa nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

VIDEOS
The Best of Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother
And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa to star opposite Hugh Grant in new film

Yes, you read that right. Writers are working on a script that sees Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty and British actor Hugh Grant star in a romantic comedy on the lines of Notting Hill.

An industry insider told Daily Star the script is about a Bollywood actress (Shilpa) and a producer (Hugh) "who promises to help her crack the British and US markets".

Ummm...seems like Shilpa's crossover film is in the offing. The Bollywood actress was also spotted at Leicester Square on Monday at the premiere of Hugh's new film Music and Lyrics. Did the two discuss the possibility of acting together? We'll have to wait to find out.

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Shilpa wins: The final moments
Day 26
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

ALSO READ
Shilpa's life after Big Brother
SPOOF - Shilpa nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

VIDEOS
The Best of Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother
And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa Shetty and life after Big Brother

Twenty-six days. That's how much time it took Shilpa Shetty to catapult herself from an unknown entity in Britain to an international celebrity. Her stint on Celebrity Big Brother brought her to the big league and the Bollywood actress is flooded with offers to peddle everything from diapers to lottery tickets.

Also in the pipeline are dozens of film and television offers, a book deal and a chance to star in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams stage revival. Of course, not counting reports of her being nominated for the Nobel Peace prize.

One of the first Bollywood filmmakers to reveal his plans for Shilpa was K Shashilal Nair, someone who doesn't have too many hits to his name. Best known for his titillating Ek Chhotisi Love Story (2002), Nair says he wants Shilpa and arch-rival Jade Goody as protagonists for a new movie.

But Nair hasn't revealed the plot and methinks it cannot be a mere dramatisation of the Jade-Shilpa row. For one, far too many people have seen the video of the Day 14 stock cube argument. And more importantly, would anyone still be interested in it having already witnessed the 'real' fight on the show.

Maybe Shilpa and Jade will star as the premiers of India and Britain respectively in the midst of a diplomatic row. Nah! Or would you rather have Shilpa as a call-centre employee in Bangalore having a telephonic spat with irate UK customer Jade. Plausible but still not interesting enough.

Methinks we should leave Nair to his plots and cheer Shilpa on as she prepares to enter the House of Commons on February 7 to shake hands (and hopefully shake a leg) with British premier Tony Blair, Chancellor Gordon Brown and other parliamentarians.

The biggie for the Indian beauty - a meeting with the Queen - will come on March 12 during a reception at Marlborough House in London to celebrate Commonwealth Day. And that's surely tops Shilpa's itinerary on the British Isles.

DAILY HIGHLIGHTS of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Shilpa wins: The final moments
Day 26
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

ALSO READ
SPOOF - Shilpa nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

VIDEOS
The Best of Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother
And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

The Best of Shilpa Shetty

Footage of Shilpa Shetty's stint on Big Brother

And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty

Footage of Shilpa's final moments on Big Brother

Shilpa Shetty wins Big Brother

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has been crowned the winner of Celebrity Big Brother walking away with 63 percent of the audience vote. The 31-year-old won the top prize of 100,000 pounds. Isn't it weird that an Indian has won a British TV show? Reverse colonialism?

As her name was called out, Shilpa let out an ear-splitting scream and asked "Are you kidding me?"

Michael Jackson's brother Jermaine and A-Team actor Dirk Benedict finished second and third respectively.

Jade's boyfriend Jack Tweedy was the first of the six celebrities to be evicted on the final day, followed by model Danielle Lloyd and gay musician Ian 'H' Watkins.

Dirk and Shilpa: The Final Moments

As presenter Davina calls out that Dirk has 30 seconds to leave the house, the A-Team actor says he's hugging Shilpa and 30 seconds is not enough. The 61-year-old Dirk is obviously the world's best flirt. And that's the end of the Dirk-Shilpa love story.

Transcript of Shilpa's interview with Davina

Davina: What was it like waiting in there on your own?

Shilpa: I was in shock. I was in shock. Chicken curry rules (to the crowd)

Davina: Shilpa you've been on such a journey in that house. What's it been like for you?

Shilpa: Oh, tell me about it. I don't want to sound cliched but it's truly been quite a rollercoaster. The highs the lows... [it] taught me so, so much.

Davina: From where you've come from and the kind of lifestyle you lead, being thrown into that house must have been a shock. What was the biggest shock for you, domestically?

Shilpa: Oh, to cook!

Davina: I can see! On a more serious note, it was one of your downs that caused a complete furore here on the outside. It's been an international incident - have you got any idea what that could be?

Shilpa: Really? I have no idea what's been happening on the outside. We didn't even have a real lawn, we had plastic grass!

Davina: So you've got no idea what this enormous controversy could be about?

Shilpa: I have an inkling but I'd love to hear some news.

(Footage of racism row)

Davina: That's quite heavy watching that back, because obviously you weren't privy to a lot of what was said. How are you feeling?

Shilpa: (Tearful) I just want to forget things. Things happen and people make mistakes. We're all human beings, we're all fallible. Jade didn't mean to be racist...If this created any sort of misunderstanding, I want to put things to rest - she is not a racist...I am so happy I took up this opportunity. I don't want people to think [they] welcomed an Indian and she made trouble here.

Davina: After that speech, I'm not sure if this is the right word, this magna... mangnamanity? Shilpa, you understand what I'm trying to say! After that, I think that is why you are sat there. You are a very forgiving and loving person. You've said it all in a nutshell. Let's move forward, past the argument, to happier times. How do you think you've changed?

Shilpa: Woah. My mother will be in for such a huge shock...She never never has not been around when I've achieved something, travelled. This is the first time in my life I've done something on my own and I've never won anything in my life. I was rejected as a model...before that I entered some stupid competition, Netru, Indru, Naalai, I lost even that!

Davina: Listen, quickfire questions for you. This is a very important one, yes. What would it take for Dirk to win you over?

Shilpa: Oh well, he'd have to be 38 years younger and start eating chicken and move to India...or England.

Davina: The young thing is an issue though, we can't ever make him younger. Can you sum up your experience in three words?

Shilpa: In three words. Incredible, overwhelming....chicken curry rules!

Davina: Shilpa, you have been though your ups and downs, you really have, but never knowingly without a knockout pair of earrings. Here's the story of your time in the house...

(Footage of Shilpa in the House)

Shilpa: Oh my God!


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 26
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
POLL - Who's gonna win Big Brother?
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
The Best of Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother
And the winner is - Shilpa Shetty
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 26)

Shilpa Shetty's final day on Big Brother dawned with Take That's Never Forget blaring from the speakers. Shilpa and Danielle are hugging - the last wake-up call in Big Brother's bedroom.

Ian: Last day! I thought it'd never come

Shilpa: I had the worst sleep in 25 days. Are you happy?

Ian: I'm ecstatic! Over the moon. Just don't know what I'm going out to. I'm going to miss you

Shilpa: You too

Topple them over

The housemates have a fun task today. They have to set up dominoes through the house and then topple them in one fluid movement. Mission accomplished and they receive a hamper. But it wasn't as easy as it sounds, specially with Danielle around. Poor girl, she's so dumb I wonder how Shilpa tolerates her.

Ian: (reciting instructions) Dominoes must topple in one fluid movement. Housemates have 1.5 hours to do the task

Danielle: What's 1.5?

Shilpa: This is not a game of patience. It's a game to irritate you

But despite Danielle's clumsiness, the housemates manage to pass the test.

Hurrah for lipgloss

The housemates discover lipgloss in the hamper basket. Shilpa and Danielle are screaming as they display the prizes.

Shilpa: Lip gloss! Thank God

Jermaine: Face cream

Ian: For men..

Jermaine, Dick and Jack aren't too excited about the contents of the hamper and leave the other three drooling over it. But Ian and Shilpa are having fun applying all that make-up.

Simon Says

Before the final round of evictions, Big Brother decides to have a bit of fun with the six housemates. And what's his idea of fun - a game of Simon Says.

Big Brother: Big Brother says, put your hand in the air

Shilpa, who doesn't do so, is the first one to be kicked out of the game. Big Brother gives further instructions to the remaining housemates - jump on beds, shake your booties, walk on your hands, dress like a woman.

For this last task, Ian gets death threats from Shilpa who's worried the ex-Steps singer is going to crumple her favourite sari. But things work out and the housemates forget tonight's evictions with this impromptu game. But then nothing can stop the inevitable.

The Final Moments

Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 25
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
POLL - Who's gonna win Big Brother?
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 25)

A Frank Sinatra number woke up the housemates this morning. The lyrics Now the end is near seem appropriate. Ian, Shilpa and Danielle are singing along. It's the penultimate day in the Big Brother house.

Wax and wane - Part 2

Ian's waxing session with Jack and Danielle goes awry. He's screaming and hobbling around as if some tiger has mauled his foot. Seems Jack hasn't been doing his job properly. Danielle chases Ian around the bedroom as Shilpa offers some advice on how to wax hair from Ian's foot.

Shilpa: Don't do it slowly. Do it fast

Danielle: No don't, do it fast

Ian: I feel like I've given birth. Look at the state of them

Danielle: It's not my fault my one's perfect. He did it the wrong way

Jack: I'm no waxer

Dirk: (in the other room) I'm going to go and slap him. I haven't heard a woman scream like that since childbirth

Tell me some facts about yourself

The housemates are answering questions faxed in to the House. One viewer sends in this question for Shilpa - 'Shilpa, as a celeb, what prompted you to do this and how has it affected you?'

Shilpa says that she did the reality show because she had been a trendsetter all her life and wanted to be one in Big Brother as well.

Shilpa: It has given me the opportunity to understand myself and also understand the fact it doesn't matter which country you belong to, we are all human and we all share the same emotions. And how has it affected me? I'm brain dead. I think it's given me the opportunity to understand myself. And that it doesn't matter what country you're from, we're all human and all share the same emotions

A Star Act

Finally a task which is right down Shilpa's alley. The housemates have been asked to act in four made-for-TV-movies showing their most memorable moments in Big Brother - as romantic comedy, film noir, action blockbuster and Bollywood musical.

One hitch - you can't play yourself. There's some discussion about the enhanced assets Shilpa needs to play Danielle.

Shilpa: That's too much

Ian: Well you are busty... they're only the same size as yours.

Time flies by soon and the housemates enjoy their acting stint. Danielle is especially good at imitating Shilpa's loud laugh. The task done, the housemates settle down to enjoy their prize - a luxury three-course dinner.


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
POLL - Who's gonna win Big Brother?
COMMENT - Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Who's gonna win Celebrity Big Brother?

Six housemates are now left in the Big Brother house. Four guys and two gals to be precise. I am a bit biased towards Shilpa but which of the others do you think will win. Do write in with your reasons. With barely a few hours to go, here are the six survivors -


Shilpa Shetty
Bollywood actress
31






Jermaine Jackson
Michael Jackson's brother
Singer
52





Jack Tweedy
Footballers' Agent
Jade's Boyfriend
19





Ian 'H' Watkins
Gay singer
29






Dirk Benedict
A-Team actor
61






Danielle Lloyd
model and former Miss Great Britain
23






Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 24
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 24)

Jermaine gets on Shilpa's nerves

Jermaine's been playing back-seat driver as Shilpa cooks in the kitchen and the actress is not liking it one bit. Jermaine feels the stir-fry veg really needs that something extra.

Jermaine: Maybe you should add some of that soup

Shilpa: No, it doesn't need it

Jermaine: That'll give it flavour

Shilpa: It's got plenty of flavour

Ian: (in the background) Back seat driver

Jermaine: Can you do something else now, add that

Shilpa: Can you stop you're irritating me

Jermaine: Just...

Shilpa: Gosh you're impatient

Now Jermaine is having problems with the size of the onions Shilpa put in.

Jermaine: No. I like them big

Shilpa: But it takes longer to cook

Jermaine: I cut 'em like that on purpose. I left 'em like that

Shilpa: Yes, your majesty

Jermaine: Thank you. Now that smells good

Shilpa: Can't you go and pray

Jermaine doesn't take the hint. Says it isn't time yet for his prayers. And instead begins to put stuff in the stir-fry veg.

Shilpa: It's stir-fry veg

Jermaine: Put that on

Shilpa: No, it's garam masala

Jermaine: It gives it flavour

Shilpa: I will kill you!

Jermaine: Put this on

What's happened to the usually calm and collected Jermaine? Totally shocking behaviour. And Shilpa as usual is too patient.

Out of the Closet

Everybody knows that singer Ian 'H' Watkins is gay - he made it public just before entering the Big Brother house. Shilpa says she's proud of Ian for this coz it must have obviously taken some guts.

Shilpa: What does it matter what the world thinks of you as long as your friends and family support you?

Shilpa is telling Ian about how gays in India are facing persecution and how it will take some time for them to be accepted by society. A recent Bollywood film tackled the subject with sensitivity, she says. Wonder if she's talking about 'My Brother Nikhil'.

Shilpa's suitors

Looks like Dirk's back to square one and has a crush on Shilpa all over again. Shilpa's two 'lovers' Dirk and Ian are discussing the Bollywood actress.

Ian: I've become really good friends with Shilpa

Dirk: She's a delight

We agree. We certainly agree.

Preparing for Eviction

Cleo, Shilpa, Jo, Dirk and Ian have packed their bags and are preparing for possible eviction. Shilpa is talking about herself in the third person to calm herself. Sample this.

Shilpa: Shilpa has already visualised herself outside. She is outside.

The Bollywood actress is spending time in Jermaine and Ian's company.

Shilpa: I'm ready to go. Look at my bag

Jermaine: It's a box

Ian: I want to come and see one of your movies being filmed

Jermaine: That's nice. I can't believe we've been here three weeks. One week more would have been torture

Shilpa: I love my little box

Looks like no one's actually listening to what the other is saying.

Eviction Blues

The votes are in and the results are clear. The public wants Jo O'Meara and Cleo Rocos to get out. Model Danielle seems to be the one worst affected by the news and Shilpa tries to console her.

In the Diary Room, Shilpa reveals what she feels about the evictions.

Shilpa: As you see people getting out of the House, it's the strangest emotion I've ever come across - of happiness and sadness and so much confusion

The Bollywood actress is grateful that viewers have chosen to let her stay back and says it means a lot to her. We know Shilpa. We want you to come out tops too.


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 23
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Of India, Sexual Racism and Shilpa Shetty

Ok, so this isn't directly linked to Shilpa Shetty on Big Brother but felt I had to share it with you guys. The Times Big Brother blog linked to Vir Sanghvi's column in the Hindustan Times about the Shilpa Shetty racism controversy. And then got a barrage of comments from people complaining about the racist treatment they experienced in India - including in one case a man who masturbated in front of a shocked woman tourist.

Kara: I was subject to REAL racism all the time in India and have been to India several times. But not a single Indian stood up to object. The whole country on the other hand, supports Shilpa over envious girl-squibbles. I was refused train and bus tickets, hotel rooms and called 'white pig', 'dog', 'white whore' and what not. In all of this, I had done nothing to these people but stand there and be western...

Amita: ...Men were intimidating till the point that i went to the police for harassment only to be laughed at and looked at by the police there. On a train journey a man masturbated in front of me to my horror and shock, i tried to take a photo of a temple and was told if i took another one i would be killed... I felt the society is backwards, women live in fear of men and people in general are full of prejudice and racism against other cultures...I thought my country was backwards and narrow-minded...until i visited India.

Leona Ferguson: So Vir Sanghvi is angry at the racism he feels has been perpetuated within the BB house, but has no compunction about using the term 'white trash'? Nor does he look within his own culture...An apparently intelligent man making such facile, narrow-minded and seemingly superior remarks makes me despair far more than a group of nasty bitches on the telly.

Sarah: Did find the country backwards as most people didn't like the fact that I was a woman travelling on my own , and that I was wearing shorts and t-shirts and flip flops.

Kara: ...when I stood at 23:00 in Madurai train station waiting for a ticket and was denied one because "we don't want you peoples here" with the ticket window slammed closed in my face - there was no reason, no comment from my part, or any provocation. I was stunned. And it happened more than once...Indian people are extremely passive aggressive and racist to the max. Indian men will grab privates or breasts when they pass a western woman on the street, or start masturbating right in front of you. No kidding here. This happened not once or twice, but every day, several times a day to me.

Erin_f: Men would masturbate right in front of me and make lewd and offensive comments and gestures and even touch me on buses and trains. In Bombay my flight was cancelled. I was exhausted and tried to find a hotel. Not a single one would take me in because I was a white female and traveled by myself. A front desk clerk in a 4 star hotel even told me that they did not approve of "your kind of activities" in their hotel and that all women in the west were "bad women walking streets". Nothing could convince him of the opposite. Having nowhere to go after trying to get a room in six different hotels, I finally ended up sitting on a bench on Marina Drive tired and sleepy...I found India extremely racist, lawless and truly disgusting.

Hillary: I'm sure upper class Indian do have their manners and try to do good for themselves and their country but India unfortunately is also a very backwards country where women travelling on their own are NOT WELCOMED. They basically think we are sluts which I find so offensive and ignorant....I accept that people in the BB house behaved badly but to all of you who are trying to sell us India as paradise on earth, open your eyes, there is a billion people in there and most of them live in poverty while a few are very, very rich.

Miranda: Indians never gave me a chance, I was a woman, I was alone, I was travelling. In their eyes I'm a disgraceful bitch with no values.

And lastly,

Praveen: ...in the same way people have been saying that Indians should not go by the behaviour of stupid and ignorant people like Ms. Goody as a reflection of British Society; I hope the behaviour of a few uncivilised individuals also does not serve as a yardstick for judging Indian society in general.

You can read all the comments here

Shilpa SAFE, Jo and Cleo EVICTED

Shilpa's safe again - which means she joins Jermaine, Jack and Danielle for the Big Brother finale - and a stab at the grand prize. Ian and Dirk are safe too.

But Jo and Cleo have become the fourth and fifth housemates to be evicted with 48.4 percent and 27.9 percent of the vote respectively.

The voting lines are open again but now viewers vote for the winner from the six celebrities slogging it out in the house. Best of luck, Shilpa.

Click here for highlights of Day 24

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 23)

An A-Team wake-up call

The housemates were woken up this morning with the theme song of Dirk's 'A-Team' series. Dirk enters the bathroom as Ian, Shilpa and Jermaine listen to the soundtrack. Nobody seems overly excited though.

As Celebrity Big Brother draws to a close, the housemates seem to be withdrawing into themselves, not talking much and waking up only for Big Brother's daily tasks. The only thing new - Cleo's ever-changing hairstyle. Boring, boring, boring.

A change of accent for Shilpa

Shilpa and Jermaine are discussing how her accent has changed (for the better?) since she set foot in the Big Brother house.

Shilpa: It's a confused accent between American and British

Crack Celebrity Unit

The Big Brother housemates have to extricate items from a maximum-security lounge as part of today's task. It's not that easy since Big Brother's henchmen have constructed vertical bars separating the celebs from the lounge.

The housemates use tools such as poles with coathangers at the end to retrieve jewellery, a salmon (yes, you read that right), pizza, toiletries, a stuffed teddy... even hair-removal products.

Jermaine holds on to Shilpa's legs as she set about performing mid-air acrobatics to retrieve his family portrait for him. Soon, the hour is up and the housemates get down to examining their catch.

Wax and wane

Shilpa and the girls are busy finding some male victims for a hair-removing spree with waxing strips they retrieved in today's task. Jack is the first volunteer.

Shilpa: You're a brave boy. Let me do a small patch

Jack: No, no, just do it there (points to shin)

Shilpa: You sure? It's really long

Jack: I'm seeing if it hurts. Why is everyone laughing? Does it hurt that much?

Shilpa rips off the wax strip in one quick movement leaving Jade's boyfriend in obvious agony. The girls are laughing and cheering as Dirk and Jermaine wince.

Shilpa: See what women have to go through?

But Dirk is ready to go under Shilpa's scalpel (pun intended). Trying to show off, I guess. As Shilpa peels off the strip on Dirk's leg, Dirk is busy admiring her work.

Dirk: Ooh - look at that, it's like baby skin

Dirk and Shilpa

Dirk's interest in Shilpa seems to have been resurrected overnight. Must have been the sight of Shilpa dancing with Ian yesterday.

Tonight, Dirk is trying his best to have a chat with Shilpa but the object of his affections is busy meditating before going to bed. He launches into a monologue as Shilpa and Jermaine get into their beds.


Dirk: Honey, knock off the meditating. Every time I try to have a conversation with you, you're meditating.

Jermaine asks him what time he wanted to be woken up the next morning but Dirk says he has a better idea.

Dirk: I wait for Shilpa to get me up, but she never has. She's had 24 chances. I'm waiting for her to shake me gently

The A-Team actor wants Shilpa to wake him up and request him to make soup.

Shilpa: Where is the Dirk that we used to know? Where did he go? You're so different today. It's good

Dirk: My real personality is seeping out now, we're getting close to the end. No, I've always been here

Shilpa: Go to sleep, Dirk

Dirk: Yeah, that's what they all say. Cool down. Just take it easy, don't get yourself so worked up over nothing. Oh man, what an adventure - thrown together like this. It's a long way from Bombay to London, it's a long way from curry to crisps.

He's not done yet. Don't even know if Shilpa's paying any attention as her 61-year-old suitor mumbles on. Poor Dirk.

Dirk: We've been here one moon. I measure everything in moons. It was a full moon when I left and it'll be a full moon when I go home...


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 22
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band
Day 20 - Shilpa's Showgirl routine
Day 19 - Shilpa's Aunt Jameela act

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 22)

Some bad news for Shilpa

Five housemates - Cleo, Dirk, Ian, Jo and Shilpa - have been nominated to face the public vote and two of them will be evicted on Friday. Meanwhile Jermaine, Jack and Danielle are now assured of staying for the Big Brother finale on Sunday.

Jack (Jade's boyfriend so no surprises) and Jo nominated the Bollywood actress.

Jack felt Shilpa did wrong by

- hiding the chocolate in the cheese (since when is that a sin)
- flirting with Dirk (feeling jealous, are we?)

According to Jo, Shilpa's "hard to get close to" coz she doesn't let "many people in".

Shilpa's nominations left me shocked as well.

She found Dirk "uncompromising when they were all living on basic rations" and as for Jack, she never talked to him. Does this mean the Dirk and Shilpa romance is now officially over?

All the housemates are aware of who's been nominated although they don't know about the surprise double eviction this time. Surprisingly, nobody nominated Jermaine. Methinks Michael Jackson's brother has a good chance of winning the show.

Singing in the Snow

The garden received an unexpected coating of snow this morning and Shilpa is squealing with excitement. The Bollywood diva has seen snow before but had never seen it falling.

Cleo collected some snow in a bowl for Shilpa and the actress can't have enough of it - running around the house with it and shrieking "Snow! Snow!" at regular intervals. Jo, snuggled up in bed, is irritated.

Shilpa: Snow! Snow!

Jo: Go away

Shilpa: Snow?

Jo: It's not snow, it's ice

Shilpa: It's so beautiful

Jo: F*** off everyone

Poor Shilpa. Ian and Jermaine were the only ones delighted to see snow falling. Motherly Cleo shakes her head in amusement.

Cleo: Shilpa nearly laid an egg she was so excited

Love overrated, says Shilpa

In a conversation about love and marriage, Shilpa takes up the cudgels on behalf of arranged marriages. She feels love marriages have an equal chance of failing.

When asked why she had not married till now, Shilpa reveals she did meet someone who wanted to marry her.

Shilpa: It didn't work out. Went out with a couple of other people, that didn't work

The Bollywood actress feels that the scenario of her parents setting her up for an arranged marriage was hypothetical but respectable in principle. Cleo feels that love is important but Shilpa shows her cynical side.

Shilpa: I think love is the most overrated emotion on the scale. I believe if two people are compatible and have respect for each other they can work it out. There are so many love marriages that don't work out. There are so many arranged marriages that don't work. What I'm saying is that I don't mind an arranged marriage if I like the guy

Cleo: It makes a lot of sense

Shilpa livens up a boring day

Shilpa remembers some of the moves from her Jackson Five tribute performance and is showing them off to Ian. He's impressed.

The Bollywood actress has cooked for the housemates today and the celebs are grateful. Ian mentions Madhur Jaffrey - leading to suggestions that Shilpa should host her own cooking show.

An Icy Icy Task

For their latest task, housemates have to lick one giant ice cube each to retrieve special tokens which would entitle them to an apres ski party in the evening. Though clad in ski gear, they can use only their mouths and sure enough, the task is a freezing one.

Shilpa, given her obsession with all things snow(y), is screaming with excitement and finishes the task in record time. Danielle finds it tough but eventually all housemates pass the task. Their reward - a party with delicious goodies and their favourite songs.

An Ian-Shilpa romance

Dirk better watch out, singer Ian is showing Shilpa a lot of attention. We don't expect a full-fledged romance this time, given that Ian is gay but there's enough chemistry here to give Dirk pangs of jealousy.

The housemates had just finished eating when a Pussycat Dolls song starts blaring.

Shilpa: Whoop! That's my song! Turn it up Big Brother

Ian and Shilpa start dancing and singing and Shilpa is getting flirty - with an ice sculpture.

Shilpa: Shall I kiss that guy?

Ian: What guy? The ice sculpture? I'm going to kiss you before I go

Shilpa: You better not! (making up her mind to eat more onions and garlic from now on)

Ian: I'm going to put my tongue in

Shilpa: Eewww! (giggling)

And if you thought that was it, the twosome also shared a slow dance together when Ian's favourite song I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight was played.

Wake me up, Jermaine

That's just Shilpa reminding early riser Jermaine to wake her up at 8.30 cos she hates the sound of the horrible alarm.


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 21
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band

Shilpa the Showgirl

Footage of Shilpa's Showgirl routine on Day 20

Shilpa Shetty in Big Brother (Day 21)

Of bonkers and blackbirds

It's a new day at the Big Brother house and as usual Ian, Jermaine and Shilpa are early risers. Jermaine is having trouble understanding Ian's British vocabulary.



Shilpa: Eww, it's cold!

Ian: You're bonkers

Jermaine: Bonkers?

When a blackbird is seen in the garden, the three housemates are intrigued.

Jermaine: Let's give it some bread

Ian: Let's give him a name, what shall we call him?

Shilpa: Blackbird?

Ian: Death?

My sympathies for the poor bird which flew into the world of celeb housemates by mistake.

Laughter the best medicine

Shilpa, Ian and Cleo are having a chat about laughter - how it's therapeutic and contagious.

Ian: If you walk past somebody and smile, they'll smile back

Not any more, Ian. Not any more. They are more likely to think you are crazy.

Ian in a Bollywood flick

Ian is more than enamoured by the prospect of starring in an Indian film and thinks it would be nice if he could play a part in one of Shilpa's films. The gay musician was imagining himself playing a regal role - that of a prince or a king - when Cleo plays spoilsport. She feels Ian will be "fabulously cast" as a eunuch. Ouch!

Of chutney and chocolate

All the housemates have assembled for ordering stuff from the luxury shopping list they won for doing well in yesterday's Showgirl routine.

The conversation moves on from shopping choices to linguistic differences to how Indian society copes with disabled children. And then to curry.

As Jo waxes eloquent about the various types of curry - mushroom bhaji, onion bhaji...poppadum, mango chutney - she tries, Shilpa looks surprised. She never knew how different the British version was from real Indian curry.

And then the housemates discuss (God! they are just like little children) which type of chocolate each person is.

Shilpa: Can I be a chocolate? I'd be the one in the yellow wrapper, the long caramel one

Housemates: Why?

Shilpa: Because they're so chewy and it brings back a lot of memories

Dirk and Shilpa - Part One

The A-Team star wants Shilpa to come and sit on his lap. And why? Because it's the "warmest place".

Dirk: I'm not just joking, I'm telling you... where I come from, body heat! When my kids get really cold in the cabin, we all sleep together

Shilpa laughs but I wonder what's brewing in her mind.

IIFA 2007 beckons Shilpa

It's a coincidence that this year's IIFA awards (an annual Bollywood event which has previously been held in London, Amsterdam and Dubai) are going to be held in Britain - in Yorkshire to be precise. And Shilpa is excited about it. Methinks Shilpa should be the brand ambassador for the event coz she's perhaps the only Indian all of Britain will recognise. That's what Shilpa seems to be thinking as well.

Shilpa: That's going to be fantastic, because I think I'll be the only one that's recognised

Then her face falls, as she realised one major drawback in her scheme.

Shilpa: I used to leave my country and come here or New York to shop so I wouldn't be disturbed. Now another country is out of bounds as far as shopping is concerned.

Tough luck, Shilpa. But Dirk's full of ideas on how you could disguise yourself like he usually does going out in public.

Dirk: Hats, glasses, clothes... nobody would look twice. Baggy trousers. I wouldn't go out looking like a movie or TV star, I would go out looking like a schlub!

Dirk and Shilpa - Part Two

The lonesome twosome are discussing improvisation in acting. Dirk is telling Shilpa that actors rarely improvise in the US.

Shilpa: You can't change the lines?

Dirk: No you can't do that. Our show was very well written. We did improvise a little but...Anthony Hopkins ain't spontaneous - I know that. He just comes in and - boom. It's the way it should be... I like to work quick. I come in all ready to go.

Of 10 pounds, quizzes and treats

Big Brother is being very nice today. He's given the housemates 10 pounds each to spend on whatever treats they wanted.

Jermaine: Give Shilpa 10 pounds worth of toothpaste coz she's using mine

All have been told they will be quizzed on a particular housemate as part of today's task. They are busy rehearsing answers to the questions they can think of. Shilpa is giving the others details about herself.

Shilpa: I'm an actress, my dog is called Champagne, my cat is called Simba, my favourite colour is...

The task gets underway with each celeb playing for the treat that their fellow housemate had requested earlier.

Jack gets quizzed on Shilpa. But he gets only one query right - that of Shilpa's star sign. The housemates feel one question (which A-lister Shilpa compared herself to) is unfair coz Jack wasn't in the Big Brother house when that happened. Ummmm! They're right.

Unfortunately, the Bollywood actress won't be getting the treat (a box of truffles - or was it caviar?) she had requested earlier.

Shilpa gets into the chair last. She gets three questions right on Jermaine and wins him a pair of shoes.

Dirk and Shilpa - Part Three

A conversation about tea causes Dirk to return to his favourite sugar anecdote. Poor Shilpa is his victim. Again.

Dirk: Did I ever tell you when sugar was first invented?

Shilpa: Yeah. I think just like 500 times

Of eating junk and smelling flowers

Jermaine is giving Shilpa a lecture on good eating habits and how people nowadays eat just about anyhing.

Jermaine: You eat chocolate, potato chips, all kinds of junk. You eat whatever people put in front of you. Have you ever taken everything you eat and drink in a day and mixed it up and smelt it? You wouldn't believe the smell. That's what's in your stomach.

Jermaine says his food mixture (referred to earlier) smells of flowers. Eeeww!

Some more toilet humour

Shilpa has revealed why she has to take so few trips to the loo. Laxatives do the trick for her - she takes a tablet every night that gives her "one clearance in the morning and that's it." She encourages the others to do this as well coz it takes away "all your water retention and everything".


Click here for highlights of Shilpa's stint on Big Brother
Day 20
Day 19
Day 18
Day 17
Day 16
Day 15
Day 14
Day 13
Day 12
Day 11: Part Two
Day 11
Day 10: Part Two
Day 10
Day 9
Day 8
Day 7
Day 6
Day 5
Day 4
Day 3
Day 2
Day 1

Also Read
ANALYSIS - Racism on Big Brother: Shilpa Shetty to win
FORUM - Racism on Big Brother
Shilpa says Jade's behaviour not racial

Watch Videos
Day 14 - The Jade-Shilpa row
Day 11 - Shilpa in the Jackson Five band