Shilpa Shetty Arrested Over Gere Kiss

Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty was arrested and held at Mumbai airport for obscenity charges in connection with the public kiss between her and Richard Gere.

Gere kissed Shetty five months ago during an AIDS awareness charity event in India, causing outrage from strict Hindus who claimed Shetty had violated the country's obscenity laws.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner was reportedly stopped while she was travelling to Berlin to attend the opening of musical Miss Bollywood.

A court issued an arrest warrant against Chicago actor Gere and prevented Shetty from leaving the country, but the immigration department did not realise that it had been overturned by the Supreme Court.

Spokesman for Shilpa, Dale Bhagwagar, said, "She called me in the middle of the night and was in tears."

Shetty said, "I can understand something like this if I'd committed a criminal offence. But what was my offence, when I'm just an actor, going to perform a musical on foreign land?"

Shetty was later allowed to continue her journey after she had to undergo a series of questions.
Source: Digital Spy

Gere Apologises For Kiss

Richard Gere has apologised for the offence caused in India by his public kiss with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, reports DigitalSpy.

The actor is facing arrest for the incident, which took place at an Aids awareness event in Delhi earlier this month. Effigies of Gere have been burnt by people throughout India.

Gere said in a statement: "What is most important to me is that my intentions as an HIV/AIDS advocate be made clear, and that my friends in India understand that it has never been, nor could it ever be, my intention to offend you. If that has happened, of course it is easy for me to offer a sincere apology."

Gere Going To Prison?

An Indian court has issued an arrest warrant for Hollywood actor Richard Gere after he kissed Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty in public, reports BBC.

Gere, 57, kissed Shetty, 31, several times on the cheek at an Aids awareness event in Delhi earlier this month.

The court in Jaipur in Rajasthan state called it "an obscene act", after a local lawyer filed a complaint.

It was not immediately clear how the warrant could affect Gere, who is a frequent visitor to India.

Under Indian law, a person convicted of public obscenity faces up to three months in prison, a fine or both.

Protests Over Gere And Shetty Kiss

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."