Shilpa Shetty is an Indian actress, producer, model, writer, and entrepreneur. She is one of the most popular actresses of Bollywood and is known for her roles in the movies “Dhadkan (2000),” and “Indian (2001).”
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Shilpa Shetty, also known as Shilpa Shetty Kundra (married name) was born on 8 June 1975 (age 49 years; as of 2024) in Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Her Zodiac sign is Gemini.
She did her schooling at St Anthony’s Girls’ High School, Chembur, Mumbai. She pursued her graduation from Podar College, Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 7″
Eye Colour: Brown
Hair Colour: Brown
Family, Caste, Affairs & Husband
Her father’s name is Surendra Shetty and her mother’s name is Sunanda Shetty; both are manufacturers of tamper-proof water caps in the pharmaceutical industry.
She has a younger sister named Shamita Shetty who is also an actress.
She was in a relationship with the actor Akshay Kumar but they both broke-up after Shilpa found out that he was cheating her with Twinkle Khanna, Akshay’s present-day wife.
She is also said to have been in a relationship with the film director Anubhav Sinha.
Shilpa got married to Raj Kundra, a British businessman in 2009.
The couple has a son named Viaan Raj Kundra.
Career
She started her career as a model when she passed her class 10 examinations.
Shilpa Shetty began her career with the movie “Gaata Rahe Mera Dil (1992),” but due to certain reasons, the film was not released. She then made her debut with the movie “Baazigar” in 1993.
Her first lead role was in the movie “Aag” in 1994. She made her Tamil debut with the movie “Mr Romeo” in 1996.
Her debut in Kannada cinema was with the movie “Auto Shankar (2005).”
She became one of the judges in “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa” in 2006. She has been hosting the Super Dancer series since 2016 which broadcasts on Sony Entertainment channel. She published her first book “The Great Indian Diet” in 2014.
Controversies
- In 2006, the Madurai court issued a non-bailable warrant against Shilpa Shetty for “posing in an obscene manner” in a Tamil newspaper. The petitioner submitted that paper published “very sexy and medium blow-ups,” and alleged that the photograph violated the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986, Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act 1956, and the Indian Penal Code Section 292 (Sale of Obscene Books).
- Shilpa Shetty was one of the contestants of the British reality TV show, ‘Celebrity Big Brother 5.’ She was alleged to be a target of racism and bullying by some housemates mainly Jade Goody, Jo O’Meara, and Danielle Lloyd. Shilpa was mocked for her Indian accent and was also referred to as “Dog” by a contestant. The screening of the racial comments resulted in media coverage and responses from the UK and Indian governments. The show was even suspended for the season 8 and many corporations even cancelled their contract with the contestants accused of racism.
- A controversy aroused when the American actor Richard Gere hugged Shilpa and forcefully kissed her in an AIDS awareness programme. There was a lot of protest from the people and even an Indian court in Rajasthan had issued an arrest warrant against Shilpa Shetty and Richard Gere.
- While shooting at the Orissa’s Gopinath Deb temple of Sakhigopal, Shilpa was accused of entering the temple with her footwear on. The authorities of the temple filed a complaint against her in Satyabadi police station.
- Raj Kundra’s first wife openly accused Shilpa of breaking up their marriage.
- The former owner of the IPL team, Rajasthan Royals, Shilpa Shetty was alleged of being involved in the IPL match-fixing case.
- She created a huge buzz in the industry when in an interview with a magazine, she openly said that Akshay Kumar used her and then left her for Twinkle Khanna.
- On 19 October 2021, she filed a defamation case of Rs. 50 crore against actress Sherlyn Chopra along with her husband Raj Kundra. The couple accused Chopra of ruining their reputation by making “false and baseless” allegations against them. Earlier Sherlyn Chopra had accused the couple of committing fraud against her in the same month. [1]The Hindu
- On 18 April 2024, the ED seized her residential flat in Juhu and Raj Kundra’s movable and immovable assets worth Rs. 97.79 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). [2]Mint The ED issued a notice of vacation to Shilpa and Raj on 3 October 2024. The notice instructed them to vacate their house in Mumbai and Pune. The couple, on 9 October 2024, moved to the Bombay High Court and filed a litigation seeking relief from the ED’s instructions. [3]Mint
Awards & Honours
- Received Honorary Doctorate from the University of Leeds
- PETA Awards Hero to Animals in 2017
- HT India’s Most Stylish Awards in 2018
Car Collection
In April 2023, she bought a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600.
Favourites
- Food: Kori Roti, Corn Pulao, Chicken Biryani, South Indian cuisine, Low-cal soups and salads, Pani-puri, Upma, Idli
- Actor: Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Jackie Chan, Tom Cruise
- Actress: Sridevi
- Designer: Donna Karan
- Destination: Lake Como, Italy
Facts
- She never considers herself beautiful and says “see my first film and see me today.”
- She is a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
- She was the captain of her school volleyball team.
- She is a Black belt in Karate.
- She likes diamond jewellery.
- She loves to cook, work out at the gym, and do Yoga.
- She was the first Indian celebrity to contest in the British reality show “Celebrity Big Brother 5” and also the first Indian to win that show.
- She is a fitness enthusiast and wellness influencer. Her YouTube channel features videos on exercise and healthy food recipes.
- She was once invited to meet Queen Elizabeth II in London.
- A British production company produced a documentary on her titled, “The Real Shilpa Shetty.”
- She practices Ashtanga Yoga for 45 minutes daily.
- She is the founder of “Viaan Mobiles”, a perfume brand called “S2,” and an online shopping site BestDealTV.
- In an interview, Shilpa Shetty revealed that doctors had advised her mother to consider aborting her due to a challenging pregnancy. Her mother was experiencing continuous bleeding, and medical professionals were concerned that she might have a miscarriage. Despite these circumstances, Shilpa’s mother chose to proceed with the pregnancy, and she gave birth to Shilpa Shetty. [4]India Today Shilpa, in the interview, said,
My mom told me that when I was conceived, she thought she was going to lose me, and the doctors suggested that she should abort the child because she went through a very difficult pregnancy. They thought she was going to have a miscarriage because she was constantly bleeding. I was stillborn. I just feel like I am a survivor.”
Mam Shilpa Shetty father was a great man.