Shilpa Shetty

Indian Actress and Model
Shilpa Shetty ಶಿಲ್ಪಾ ಶೆಟ್ಟಿ

Profile
Birth name               Shilpa Shetty
Birth date                June 8, 1975
Birth place               Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Height                     5 ft 8.5 in (174 cm)
Occupation             Actress, model
Years active            1993–present
Older sister of         Shamita Shetty


Biography
Shilpa Shetty is an Indian film actress and model. Since making her debut in the film Baazigar (1993), she has appeared in nearly 40 Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, her first leading role being in the 1994 Aag. Although she has been through years of decline during her career, Shetty has been willing to reinvent herself quite often. Her performances in Dhadkan (2000) and Rishtey (2002) were appreciated, while her portrayal of an AIDS patient in Phir Milenge (2004) won her many accolades. Her younger sister Shamita Shetty is also a Bollywood film actress.

Shetty has been embroiled in various controversies including suspected mafia links. In 2006 she was issued with a warrant on charges of obscenity. After taking part in the British Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2007, Shetty was crowned the winner with 63% of the final vote, after an international racism controversy involving her and fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd. This was followed by a re-establishment of her status in the film industry in 2007 when she appeared in two successive movies, Life in a... Metro and Apne, with her performance in the former drawing positive reviews.

Shilpa Shetty was born in a traditional close-knit family in Mangalore that hails from the Bunt community.

She is the eldest daughter of Surendra and Sunanda Shetty, manufacturers of tamper-proof caps for the pharmaceutical industry,[5] and her native language is Tulu although she speaks several other languages at differing levels, including English, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Telugu, Urdu and basic French.

In Mumbai, she attended St. Anthony Girls' High School in Chembur, and later attended Podar College in Matunga. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, she is also into sports, was the captain of the volleyball team in school, has earned a black belt in karate and is currently a dancesport expert and enthusiast.

Shetty's younger sister Shamita Shetty is also a Bollywood actress. They worked together once in the film Fareb (2005).