Articles: Shilpa Shetty - Page 2

By Subhash K Jha

Even as Shilpa expressed her delight at the enthusiasm generated in Great Britain by her next release Metro, news comes that she's the reason behind the film's delay.

Director Anurag Basu gives Shilpa a clean chit. "Shilpa had asked me before leaving for Big Brother, We tried to complete her work before her departure. But her dates couldn't be co-ordinated with the rest of the artistes.

Shilpa thought she'd be evicted from Big Brother by 20 January. She never dreamt she'd stay on till the end. She has nine days work left which we'll complete as soon as she returns."

Anurag is in fact over-joyed by the overseas buzz for Metro, "I don't have an overseas audience. It's because of Shilpa that they're now making inquiries about Metro from festivals across the world. The film has benefited greatly from her presence. We are all very proud of her. My co-producers UTV were taken into confidence about pushing Metro's release in April."

Regarding the delay of Mahesh Bhatt's son's launch film Suicide Bomber which Mr Bhatt has apparently been grumbling about, Anurag says, "The delay in Metro has caused a chain reaction. Suicide Bomber IS delayed. I can't shoot two films together.

But what difference do a couple of months make when there's such a larger issue? Shilpa has done all of us proud. Why create bad blood? I've told Shilpa I'm lucky for her. I'll now be polishing up the script for Suicide Bomber." Shilpa Clarifies: Shilpa Shetty had her first day off in London on Wedenesday. She could barely kep her eyes open. "It's been a time of tremendous euphoria and exhilaration. I can't believe all this is happening to me! I'm so proud to be representing India. But why am I being attacked back home? "

Explains Shilpa, "I've nine days work left. But that's not the reason why the film's release has been pushed forward. UTV As soon as I come back I'll complete it. They were anyway planning to release a month later. And incidentally the producer Ronnie Screwvala is coming here to London to meet me, They're vey happy for me.

Why are people making me out to be this ruinous element who doesn't care about home just because she has found new fame abroad? Rubbish!"

Mahesh Bhatt is quoted as saying that Shilpa "messed up" with the schedules. "But he's not connected with Metro in any way! Anyway, I'm really forward to coming back home. First thing I want to do is complete my work in Metro, It's going to be my first release after Big Brother and I'm very excited.

It's going to have a massive marketing here in the UK. I always felt Anurag's film had the potential to work in the international market. If my presence helps the film to achieve the international level where it deserves to go then I'm really happy.

http://www.santabanta.com/cinema.asp?pid=13549

By Subhash K Jha

Monday 12 March. Shilpa will be giving a speech in London for a prestigious global summit.

"Yes, I'll speak at the Commonwealth Day," she says nervously. "Bloody hell! Only four people will be giving a speech. And I'm one of them. It's freaking me out.

This year the theme is 'Respecting Differences & Promoting Understanding' It's about racism. And it's an issue that I'm now associated with. I better deliver. I'll be sharing the platform with world leaders and, ahem ahem, the Queen."

Shilpa has an expert help her write the speech. "It has to be five minutes of no beating around the bush. I feel extremely nervous but also very very honoured to be representing my country at such a prestigious event."

Back home, for a fortnight Shilpa has no time for her family. "I've a calendar launch on Saturday. Then I 've to attend the Filmfare awards on Sunday."

Shilpa's wardrobe designers are going ballistic trying to keep up with their superstar-clientele's social schedules. "Luckily I've two dear designer friends who keep me well dressed wherever I go after Big Brother, Neeta Lulla who had done my dress for my event at the House of Commons, and Tarun Tihliani who did my clothes for Big Brother.

Neeta and Tarun are being driven up the wall by my demands. I'm sure they dread my midnight calls from London, asking for a dress overnight. They must be so fed up of couriering me clothes to London."

Of course once in a while Shilpa is persuaded to wear international designers "For an occasion in London Vivien Westwood dressed me from head to toe. Oherwise it's Neeta and Tarun all the way for me."

Shilpa cracks up. "The funny thing is, I went to London with two bags and came back with seven. In just fifty days!!!

Thanks to Shilpa the image of the Bollywood heroine abroad has changed. "That's true," she concedes. "Earlier they were seen as voluptuous. Now they look at me and wonder at how thin I am and how clued in I am to global fashion trends. I can discuss Armani as well as Tarun and Neeta."

Police may summon for questioning Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty in connection with a three-year-old case in which her parents allegedly told a gangster to threaten a Surat-based businessman.

Police, however, say the actress would be called for questioning only after the gangster, Fazal ur Rehman, who allegedly made the threat calls to the businessman, is interrogated.

"As of now we have sought the custody of Fazal from the Delhi court as he is in police custody there. Once he is brought here and questioned we will decide if Shilpa is to be summoned," Surat's Deputy Commissioner of Police Subhash Trivedi said.

The extortion case resurfaced recently after Fazal claimed during his interrogation by Delhi Police that Shilpa had contacted him to seek help in threatening textile businessman Pankaj Agarwal, who owns the 'Parag' brand of sarees.

The matter made headlines in November 2003 when the Surat police arrested Shilpa's mother Sunanda and also registered a case against her father in connection with the case.

Shilpa's mother is presently on bail but the probe was on. Shilpa, who recently won a reality show in Britain, was supposed to do ad commercials for the saree brand but the deal did not work out and this caused some animosity between the Shettys and the businessman.

Fazlu, arrested from the Indo-Nepal border in August 2006, is allegedly involved in more than two dozen offences of kidnapping, extortion and attempt to murder.