Bollywood wants actress to stick it out

The Indian film community has come out in strong support of Shilpa Shetty and agrees that she should stick it out on Celebrity Big Brother and win the Channel 4 reality show.

Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh who has lived in the UK for about 30 years but has not seen the latest Big Brother series said: "If there has been any discrimination, it should be looked into, because discrimination does exist. If this is what people have been saying, they should be taken to task. Racist people just need a reason. Today it is Shilpa, tomorrow it could be someone else."

Asked if the show could boost her acting career he said: "I don't think it will make any difference. As a filmmaker myself, I will only cast someone who fits the script."

Tanuja Chandra, who recently made Hope And A Little Sugar, a film about racism in the post-9/11 New York said: "It is no surprise that white people are racist. It is unfair yes, but let's not forget that it is a show and meant to be sensational, entertaining and voyeuristic. It must be hellish in there, but Shilpa should stick it out and win."
 
Chandra feels that the racist incident might result in something good.
"If this becomes a catalyst to drive what could possibly become a huge collective voice against racism in the UK, then it would be the most useful thing a reality show has ever done. And Shilpa would be at the head of it all. She is much more intelligent than the other residents in the house and she should not let them get the better of her."
 
Chandra is unsure whether Big Brother will boost Shetty's career, unless she wins.

But director Anurag Basu, in whose film, Metro, Shetty has a leading role, said: "It will boost her career. She has not got what she deserves, though she has great potential. The UK is a big market, so a lot of producers will want to sign her."
 
Basu has not seen the show but feels Shetty should slug it out till the end.
"She is a very nice person so I can imagine how hurt she might be. She was skeptical of going for the show and she did fear the reactions from her housemates. Everyone knows that there is racism in the UK. She is a tough girl and I think she will survive. As a director though, I don't want that because my shooting is held up," he said.