Actor Richard Gere has sparked protests in India after kissing Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty at an Aids awareness rally in New Delhi, reports BBC.Demonstrators in India set fire to effigies of the Hollywood star, while protesters in other cities shouted "death to Shilpa Shetty".
The protesters say Gere insulted Indian culture by kissing the hand and face of the Bollywood actress. Public displays of affection and sex are still largely taboo in India.
Shetty downplayed the incident, saying "it was not so obscene."
The actress said, "This was not such a big thing for people to over-react in such a manner."
"I understand people's sentiments, but I don't want a foreigner to take bad memories from here. I understand this is his culture, not ours."
