Shilpa Shetty eyes Hollywood

Mumbai, Jan 28 (UNI) Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, who was the centre of international attention following the racial controversy on UK's 'celebrity Big Brother' reality show, is eyeing a Hollywood stint by signing a British team comprising leading UK publicist and lawyers to handle her career abroad.

UK's leading publicist and media professional Max Clifford of Max Clifford Associates has been signed as her UK publicist while Carter-Ruck, the biggest law firm in Britain which handles celebrities, will look after Shilpa's UK assignments, Dale Bhagwagar, publicist and spokesman of the actress told UNI here yesterday.

''Max Clifford is the most remarkable, enterprising and admirable publicist Shilpa could have had in UK. No matter she wins or loses, but with the Big Brother show, Shilpa has already made a mark for herself on the international scene and she has now got a dream team to work on her career overseas,'' he said.

The finale of Big Brother is scheduled for tomorrow and the results will be announced at 0200 hrs on January 29 (IST). ''When she steps out of the house, the media attention will be phenomenal,'' the spokesman said.

Farhat Hussain of Cine Entertainment Promoters, a top celebrity show organizer of Indian origin, will be her UK agent, while Tasleem Begani will be her manager, he informed.

Mr Hussain will be responsible for getting Hollywood movies as he has brought top Hollywood shows in Britain in the last two decades.

''From now on, Shilpa has a whole new world to look forward to.

Mike will publicise her in the UK and US media,'' he added.

Dale said offers have started pouring in for the actress even as she has reached the finals of the reality show. Her mother, Sunanda, is in London and she has signed the British team on behalf of Shilpa to promote her career overseas.

Shilpa, who started her carrer in 1993 with ''Baazigar'', is awaiting the release of her latest movies 'Metro' directed by Anurag Basu and 'Apne' directed by Anil Sharma in the first half of 2007.

UNI