Bigg Boss host Shilpa Shetty hurt over Rakhi Sawant allegation

Mumbai, (IANS) This week has been really tough on actress Shilpa Shetty, who is hosting the second season of "Bigg Boss". First Jade Goody's traumatic adieu and then item girl Rakhi Sawant's allegation that a contestant on the show has been changed because of her manoeuvres. The show went on air Aug 17 on newly launched channel Colors. When questioned about Rakhi's allegation, Shilpa told IANS: "I don't even want to talk about her. But I was very hurt. I really like Rakhi. Why was she talking this way about me without knowing the facts? How does she know the facts about how contestants were chosen? "I don't think it's right for anyone to shoot off her mouth in this way. You may have an outspoken image that you're always eager to uphold. But please don't flaunt that image at my cost." "Rakhi takes the cake. What authority does she have to make such charges against me? I'd have Rakhi know that it's the channel's prerogative to decide the participants. I'm hired by the channel to do a job. My jurisdiction is to go on stage and host the show." Shilpa was also appalled by her effigies being burnt by the supporters of Ramdas Athavale, Republican Party of India (RPI) leader. Athavale claims he was approached to go into the house but dropped because of her manoeuvres. "It's the channel's prerogative to select or reject a candidate. Until two days prior to the show I didn't even know who was going to be there. The format doesn't allow the host to know the contestants. Mr. Athavale claims he was dropped on discriminatory grounds because he was a Dalit and Sanjay Nirupam was taken instead." Amongst the participants this time are politicians Sanjay Nirupam and Rahul Mahajan, son of late Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, as well as gangster Abu Salem's partner Monica Bedi. The actress, who won Britain's version of the show titled "Celebrity Big Brother", said she wanted to be left alone. "Why was I being blamed if a candidate didn't make it into 'Bigg Boss'? Why were they throwing stones at the channel Colors' office and burning my effigy? They went on a dharna in Lonavala in front of the 'Bigg Boss' house. "Why me? Every time I'm associated with something people try to use my name for their own purposes. Please leave me alone." "I think I should take all this attention as a compliment. But somewhere it does take its toll on my mental equilibrium. We all need to be more responsible about our duties as a citizen. My phone went ballistic on Tuesday. "I'm in the midst of a dozen things and then to be badgered like this! I'm human and I don't like my name being constantly used. Don't hit where it hurts the most. I think they should start auctioning my effigies," said Shilpa. She wanted police action against the practice of burning effigies. "It's really very sad that known people are subjected to this. It's very degrading."

Jade Goody who turned Shilpa Shetty's life in the UK reality show Big Brother into a living hell by teasing, provoking and racially abusing her, met Shilpa again at the shoot of Bigg Boss on Saturday.But, there was disappointment for those who expected heavy fireworks For starters, Shilpa failed to recognise Jade Goody. Although post Big Brother, Shilpa was heard saying that she has forgiven Jade despite being bullied mercilessly, was Shilpa's cold treatment a deliberate attempt by the actress to get back at Jade? Shilpa who is uncomfortable about the weird experience of running into her tormentor under such peculiar and ironical circumstances laughs and says, “Never even in my wildest nightmare did I imagine that I would meet Jade Goody again! To top it, Jade had changed her appearance completely. During Big Brother, she had short black hair, but now she has long, blonde hair. I just could not recognise this scared, shaking woman as the same person who had taken me on for 10 days, hitting out at me and saying things like 'Go back to your slums'. That had really hit home.” “I mean in the UK, Jade was the celebrity inmate on Big Brother. She had become an overnight star after her first appearance on Big Brother. When I came into the show it was the second time for Jade. And she was the cynosure of the British viewers,” adds Shilpa. Jade's racist slur against Shilpa became an international political and cultural issue. From being a reality show queen, Jade had become a disgraced contestant who had bought shame to the country. The tables have turned now. Although Jade is still an inmate, Shilpa has moved on to become the host of the show. Shilpa recollects her meeting with Jade. She says, “Believe me I had no malice towards Jade when I met her once again on Saturday. Our situation is completely different this time. While I am a free bird hosting the show, she is an inmate where she will have to stay with Indians who I fear might be hostile to her because of how she had misbehaved with me. To my relief, the innate Indian warmth and hospitality shone through and no one made Jade feel unwanted. I felt happy about that because I have forgiven Jade. And I quite sympathise with her. I don't think she meant to insult our country and culture. But in trying to hit out at me, she ended up making statements that offended Indians and Asians all over the world. I don't think Jade knew what she was starting.” Going back to the time when she first heard Jade Goody was coming to Bigg Boss 2, Shilpa says, “I was shocked when I learnt that Jade was going to be on the show. Why should someone want to go through this again? But then I was also happy to know she was coming to our country. This is an opportunity to show her true Indian hospitality and how warm and welcoming we are.” Whether she is a winner on the show or not, Shilpa hopes that Jade goes back to England with a better image of India than she had when they were participants in Big Brother. “When I came out of Big Brother, everyone's perceptions of Indians had changed for the better. I hope Jade learns about the beauty of Indian culture. She has gone in as someone with misconceptions about our country. I hope she comes out enriched and enlightened about us Indians,” adds Shilpa

Trade analysts evaluate the actresses Ash Preity Rani Shilpa

What's gone wrong with Aishwarya, Sushmita, Preity, Shilpa and Rani's careers? Trade analysts Taran Adarsh and Vikas Mohan evaluate the situation. Move over Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Preity Zinta, Shilpa Shetty and Rani Mukerji. These leading ladies, who ruled the box-office in the late ‘90s and also earlier in this decade, hardly have any films to talk about now. On the other hand, youngsters like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut have raced way ahead of them. Trade experts Vikas Mohan, editor, Super Cinema and Taran Adarsh, editor, Trade Guide talk about what made the senior actresses lose the race. SHILPA SHETTY Films in hand: The Man and an item song in Dostana Taran Adarsh: Shilpa has been around for a long time and an actress's career is not as long as that of an actor. Shilpa can only look fit opposite actors like Sunny or Sanjay Dutt or Govinda, who also want to work with the younger actresses now. For instance, Govinda wants to work with actresses like Lara Dutta or Hansika Motwani. All said and done, Shilpa definitely has an edge as she has maintained herself very well. Vikas Mohan: Shilpa's career was over long back. Her victory in Big Brother extended her career for a couple of years, courtesy the media. However, her international standing did not help her get films in Bollywood. Her career was already over when she started doing item numbers. PREITY ZINTA Films in hand: Har Pal, Heaven on Earth and Heroes Taran Adarsh: Preity has been around for a long time. The audience prefers watching Deepika, Kareena or Katrina rather than watching Rani or Preity. The fact of the matter is that even if one is very talented, after a certain age, you have to move out. also she looks older then what she is .. Vikas Mohan: Preity has been looking her age for some time now. She has also become very selective and is not doing many films. The fact that she is doing a non-commercial film with Deepa Mehta says a lot. AISHWARYA RAI Films in hand: Mani Ratnam's next, Robot, Pink Panther2, The Taj, Benazir,Dhun Taran Adarsh: Aishwarya has tremendous international appeal and that works in her favour. She is probably the only actress who can decide on which film she wants to do and which she does not. She enjoys the success which not even Madhuri Dixit enjoyed at the peak of her career. Probably Zeenat Aman would have been in the same situation if she had been an actress in today's times. Vikas Mohan: Aishwarya Rai is far from finished. She is one actress who inspite of being married is still very popular. Her career will stretch for at least 2-3 years.She is charging 4-6cr per film ,2-3cr for stage shows &...a wopping 7cr for commercials/endorsements...which is higher than many male stars also. RANI MUKERJI Films in hand: Yash Chopra's next to be directed by Anurag Singh Taran Adarsh: Rani, like Preity, has been around for a long time. Rani has also had a series of flops like Baabul, Laaga Chunri Mein Daag, Saawariya, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic barring Tara Rum Pum, which was an average grosser. Recently Rani was also dropped from many commercials & she is not doing any stage shows also. Vikas Mohan: Rani has selected all the wrong films. The fact that she has limited herself to a single banner (YRF) also has a negative effect her career graph. The films that she has done recently have been women-centric and when they don't work, it badly reflects on her career graph. For example, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic flopped but no one will blame Saif for it, as Rani was the central character. SUSHMITA SEN Films in hand: Dulha Mil Gaya, Do Knot Disturb, Rani Laxmibai Taran Adarsh: She is a good actress but somehow her career has taken a backseat. I don’t understand why? She is a fine actress and a good looker but whether she is serious about her career or not, I don't know. Also her turning producer doesn't say much about her acting career. Vikas Mohan: I don't think she is in the race at all. You need to have dedication like Katrina to succeed, which Sushmita lacks.

Shilpa and Shamita shock everyone

It’s just a few days that Dharamji da puttar Sunny exploded with the news of getting backed by frontline directors as his assistants in his forthcoming ‘debut’ film as director. Now it’s turn for Shilpa and Shamita to shock people with their freaky announcement. It’s after the big jalwa of Big Brother that Shipa almost evaporated from the B-market. And about Shamita, well, better we don't spend words on her tiny career. But guess what the two sisters were cooking all these mundane days? No, not even the wildest of your guesses can touch the nearest of the Shetty sisters’ thought zone. They are planning to explore the field of film production. Yes, that’s how coolly they opened mouth explaining such Bollywood shaking information. “Yes, we are coming out with our own production house probably by next year. It’s still in the planning stage, ” soft goes Shamita. That means Shetty sisters will no more ask for money, instead they will pay the Bollywood! Reasoning about her absence from the screen for so long, the choti Shetty further adds, “This is also a reason why you are not seeing much of me on screen. Right now I am concentrating more on my production project.” The actress has just completed her item number for Hari Puttar but she seems very cool about the dance number. It’s probably because she is still lost in thoughts of dictating whole crew of her upcoming flicks. Or maybe she is feeling very nostalgic about her acting career which never paid her the kismet she dreamed about. Well, we only can wish best of luck for an upcoming producer duo. Or should we farewell actor sisters? Anyways, forget it!

Shilpa Shetty type race row back to haunt Big Brother house this year too

Last year's shocking race row between British TV celeb Jade Goody and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is back to haunt the Big Brother bosses this year too. Big Brother chiefs fear that the house is about to burst into a race war after a massive argument between contestants. Show producers had to step in to calm tensions after Croydon gymslip mum Alex De-Gale let rip with a foulmouthed, slanging tirade against her housemates. The 23-year-old accounts clerk lashed out at her fellow housemates Rachel and Rebecca after one of them overcooked a meal, reports the Daily Star. Sylvia Barrie also joined in the ferocious row that left viewers shocked, and revived bitter memories of fights seen in previous series. When Rachel tried to defend Rebecca, Alexandra unleashed a verbal battering that left her in tears. She screamed: "You're getting on my f***ing nerves, you pr***. I don't give a f*** what you think!" Stephanie McMichael was the only housemate brave enough to take on Alexandra and the two crossed swords in the most explosive scenes seen so far. She snapped: "That's it. I might be 19, but I am not going to sit back and watch someone speak to someone else like that. It's completely out of order. No-one has the right to make someone else cry." Stephanie added to Rachel: "Don't worry, she is not friends with a single person in this house." Rachel was left so shaken, she was urged by others to report the incident to Big Brother. Last year's series saw a furious race row between Shilpa Shetty, 31, and Jade Goody, 26.