You are in > manchester.com  > News > Gere kiss still causing trouble for Shilpa

TV

Gere kiss still causing trouble for Shilpa

28/09/2007

Shilpa Shetty has continued to attract controversy over her kiss with Richard Gere.

The Celebrity Big Brother winner hit the headlines in April when Gere kissed her on the cheek several times at an Aids-awareness event in New Delhi.

Hardline Hindus were outraged by the kiss, with many claiming that Gere and Shetty had contravened India's strict anti-obscenity laws.

And the fallout from the incident continues, with the Bollywood star stopped by officials at Mumbai Airport while travelling to the Berlin opening of her new musical Miss Bollywood.

Airport staff told the 29-year-old that she was wanted on an obscenity charge filed after the clinch with the Pretty Woman actor.

However, Shetty's UK spokeswoman Teji Singh has confirmed that the star - who was embroiled in the racism row on Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother was not arrested.

"Every time Shilpa leaves the country she has to show her paperwork, because of the Richard Gere thing," Singh stated.

"There was absolutely no detention, no arrest whatsoever. She was rummaging through to get her paperwork and just stepped aside to a side room so she wouldn't block the queues."

Shilpa's Indian spokesman Dale Bhagwagar had earlier confirmed the stars distress at the airport hassle, commenting: "She called me in the middle of the night and was in tears."

However, Singh has today stated that the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"She wasn't crying. She was bunged up with the flu and she was only in there for eight to 15 minutes."