India jubilates as Shilpa wins 'Celebrity Big Brother' (with df5)

New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) The masses and the media both lapped up with jubilation the news of film actor Shilpa Shetty winning in British Channel 4's reality TV show 'Celebrity Big Brother' and bagging an estimated 100,000 pounds in prize money.

Though a hot favourite from the beginning, after facing racist slurs, Shilpa's was a victory impatiently waited for by her fans back home here.

The 31-year-old actor is the first Indian to have participated in the British TV show, which was the most controversial series in the history of the Channel'4.

The final of the 'Celebrity Big Brother' was telecast live last night. Shilpa won a gaining 63 per cent votes.

Her housemate in the show Jade Goody, who had subjected her to racist ridicule, had already been voted out by audience. More than the film actor's partcipation in the TV show, it was the treatment meted out to her by her housemates that made news.

''I just want to thank Great Britain'', Shilpa said after winning in an effort to leave the controversy behind.

She said she forgave her tormentors.

The racist comments against Shilpa had resulted in an outrage in Shilpa's home country and also in Britain.

The issue found an echo in the House of Commons and the Information and Broadcatsing Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and Minister of State for External Affairs Ananad Sharma reacting sharply and asking the India High Commission in London to look into the allegations of racist attack on the film actor.

Besides Goody, Shilpa's other housemates in the show, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara, seemed to have ganged up against her during her stay, subjecting her to biting remarks against her on subjects ranging from her ''accent'', ''manners'' and way of cooking chicken.

However, all this kept adding to Shilpa's popularity and the audience admired her poise and charm.

More than 46,000 people complained to media regulator Ofcom and Channel 4 about racist comments during transmission.

Shilpa had started her film career in 1993 with super hit film Baazigar' in which her co-star is today's superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

She, however, never rose to top ranks, though her dance numbers continued to be superhits.

But her popularity has seen a sharp rise after the Big Brother, and according to reports from London Hollywood film offers have started coming to her, and the India film industry too seems to have woken up to her charm.

UNI