Click to play videoNew Delhi: It wasn't all fun and games for Shilpa. She entered the show on the January 3 of and within a fortnight Racial taunts from housemate Jade Goddy brought her to the edge.
"I have no idea what was happening in the outside world," said Shilpa.
And her tears got the popularity ratings of the show jumping worldwide. She hooked on nearly five million additional viewers to the show and started a debate on racial discrimination.
And the angry responses weren't restricted to streets around the world. Media watchdog Ofcom received more than 40,000 complaints about the alleged racist bullying in the current series.
And of course the politicians weren't far behind.
“But of course I would agree entirely the principle that he has outlined, which is - we should oppose racism in all its forms,” said British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
“Racist treatments have been offered. And the industry is very much concerned about it, because the Government of India is committed against racism,” said Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi.
The debate almost took over the agenda of British Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's visit to India.
The corporate world showed its solidarity for Shilpa too. One of the biggest sponsors Carphone Warehouse suspended its sponsorship of the series.
Hate mails for Jade Goody meant sympathy votes for Shilpa Shetty and when the two were finally pitted against each other Shilpa got 82 per cent of the votes while Goody was shown the door.
And from then on as they say it’s all history as the show ended with Shilpa emerging victorious with 63 per cent of the final vote.
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