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Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty is in line to rake in an astonishing 10 million pounds (nearly Rs 86.6 crore) after she emerged victorious in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' reality show which was at the centre of a row over racial taunts she suffered, a British tabloid claimed quoting her aides.
The controversy which saw beauty therapist Jade Goody and some other fellow contestants of Shilpa branded racist bullies on the Channel 4 reality show propelled the 31-year-old Indian actress onto the world stage.
As she was hailed at the highest level by MPs applauding her extraordinary magnanimity in the House of Commons last night, her business managers were busy working tirelessly to turn that profile into profit.
Prompted by a question by Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz, Broadcasting Minister Shaun Woodward said "I am sure I can speak for all members in the House on congratulating Shilpa Shetty for an outstanding performance, enduring -- regardless of the circumstances that happened in Big Brother house -- a pretty ghastly few weeks one way or another.
"She truly deserved to win and I am sure the whole House congratulates her on winning."
The Daily Mail Tuesday quoted a source close to Shilpa saying that 10 million pounds was a conservative estimate of her future earnings.
"We are estimating 3 million pounds in the first year. Over the coming three to five years, that figure could very quickly rise to 10 million pounds.
"That sounds a lot but we are talking about a woman who is intelligent and beautiful, and already has an established career as a Bollywood actress".
"Her magnanimous approach to the bullying that went on so publicly in the Big Brother house won her a legion of fans. And it rocketed her from C-list to A-list status in India also where the fan base now runs to many, many millions.
"If Jade Goody can earn 8 million pounds from her Big Brother fame, think what Shilpa -- who speaks several languages and has become a heroic figure in recent days -- can do," the source said.
According to the tabloid, Shilpa's aides in Britain and India have already fielded more than 300 offers of work from advertising agencies, film and documentary producers, book publishers, modeling agencies and record labels.
According to the report, Shilpa's first British magazine, television and newspaper interviews have already made 300,000 pounds. A further 200,000 pounds is being negotiated for worldwide media interviews to take place within the next week.
Shilpa, who was virtually unknown in UK until three weeks ago, has already won the lead roles in two new Bollywood films, titled Apne and Metro , the report said.
Shilpa is in talks to star in a BBC comedy written by Sanjeev Bhaskar from the Kumars at No 42, plus a movie called Shantaram set in the Mumbai underworld starring Johnny Depp, and another film based on her fight with Goody in the Big Brother house directed by Bollywood film-maker Shashilal Nair.
No fewer than 25 other filmmakers in India, Britain and Los Angeles also have offers on the table.
Fifteen companies have already registered interest in sponsoring Shilpa to appear in advertising campaigns for their products in this country and abroad.


