Shilpa article

By Subhash K Jha

Shilpa Shetty suddenly decided to return to Mumbai. "It was a totally impromptu decision. In fact I decided to return home an hour before taking off from London. I had to come home, even if it was only for a while.

I had some days off in London, and a close friend was was flying back from London to Mumbai. I flew down with him on his private plane. The decision to come down here was very sudden. I was very very homesick, yaar!. So here I am."

At Siddhi Vinayak temple on Saturday Shilpa had to face a mob of onlookers. "God! It was pandemonium. And I do mean God," she laughs her characteristically frank laughter.

Back in London, there was an uncommon happening at the House Of Commons. Shilpa's euphoria after meeting British PM Tony Blair lingers.

"You know in the midst of all the press interviews suddenly this one guy piped in, 'Can I marry you? I think he was Asian, though a lot of Brits are also showing keen interest,"she giggles.

Shilpa is flooded with marriage proposals. "It's such feeling of pride for me as an Indian to be called out by name by on the streets of London. My mom had predicted that one day I'd be world-famous. Of course all Bollywood actors are famous across the world. But this?! I don't believe it. I feel proud that an Indian is being given so much love and respect."

Shilpa's mom Sunanda Shetty has no intentions of finding a groom in Britain for her daughter.

"Where do these things come from? Knowing my mom, do you think she's ever make a loose statement like that? My mom has better things to do than look for a groom for me. And right now marriage is the last thing on my mind."

Speaking of shaadi, British PM Tony Blair made it a point to watch Shilpa in her Salman-starrer Shaadi Kar Ke Phans Gaya.

Giggles Shilpa, "He said he saw my movie on Sky TV. That they showed an Indian television on Sky TV has never happened in the history of Great Britain. Mr Blair said he was channel surfing when he came across this movie of mine. And he watched it!"

A widely-quoted interview from a British paper has Shilpa quoted as saying she's in love with a married man who has two children.

"Why would I say such a thing to anyone? I'd love to know who this 'friend' of mine is. I wonder why anyone would want to contrive a man in my life? I'm very sadly single."