Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has said her vile tormentor on a British television reality show Jade Goody is a "pathetic specimen" who needs professional help but she would still beg India to forgive the Briton.
Fresh from her triumph in the Celebrity Big Brother reality show, Shilpa expressed shock after watching the full footage of the series where fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo and Danielle spit out cruel taunts at her.
"I did not know all that had gone on. They are so mean. Why did not someone stop them? It hurts me deeply," she said.
Thirty-year-old Shilpa told the Daily Mirror how the verbal assaults she suffered almost made her quit as they "completely broke" her within. However, she said the racist bullying ordeal had been a battle between right and wrong and the end right won.
Shilpa, who said that she is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, was stunned to learn the race row had sparked international fury with angry Indians taking to the street in protest at her outrageous treatment.
But she said he did not want her countrymen to hold a grudge against Jade, who planned to visit India to beg forgiveness for her cruelty in the house.
And she said she would even help Jade, the 25-year-old mum-of-two to her quest when she returns home.
Shilpa - who has been asked by police probing the race claims for a statement - added "When I go back to India, I will make a public appeal for them to forgive her.
"Asians are overtly sensitive about issues of honour and respect and we will take a stand. I look at the bigger picture. There have rifts between Asians, this is one time when everybody came together to show their solidarity to their colour," the actress said.
"I know the Asians, whether Hindus, Muslims or whatever, will say enough is enough. I am proud of who I am, I have done my bit. The word racism should be eradicated from the dictionary. It should have no place in the world. The word doesn't exist for me," Shilpa said.
Shilpa was horrified to hear that Jo, Danielle and Jade had been the victims of death threats. "That's not the way to deal with this. I would like the police to protect their houses," she said.
Shilpa also branded the pair's snide gang-mate Danielle Lloyd "stupid" and said Jade's foul-mouthed mum Jackiey Budden was a nightmare.
But despite her despair, she revealed she had wanted Danielle to win Big Brother and even forgave the hate mob for their vicious tirades.
Speaking of the incessant racist taunts that flew her way in the house, Shilpa said: "It was not a battle between brown and white. It was a battle between right and wrong. And right won.
"Jade and Jo need professional help, not condemnation. I am someone who believes in karma... what you have sowed, you will reap.
"Jo and I never really bonded on that level and I forgive her as I think she is very low on self-esteem and I just think Jo and Danielle were led," the actress said.
"Danielle I'm still OK with. What she did was horrible and upsetting, but she's very young and stupid. I wanted Danielle to win because it would help with her self confidence. I don't blame Danielle as much," the actress said.
"It was so apparent who started the rift...Jade. I don't think she did it consciously but it was to make sure she didn't get nominated by the girls.
"My mother had told me, 'Don't leave the Big Brother house a loser. Get evicted but don't give up. I've always put up a great fight and I didn't want to go that way," she said.
But, despite more than 45,000 complaints to Ofcom about the gang's horrid behaviour, Shilpa was reluctant to brand them racist.
She said, "It wasn't contrived to be racist. I don't want to perceive it that way. I felt maybe, maybe not."
Shilpa, who has appeared in more than 40 films, was first aware the controversy had become big news on the outside when the housemates heard helicopters hovering overhead… and Jade emerged from the Diary Room in tears.
She said: "Jade was scared. She must have been told a bit about it. She saw the choppers and said, 'I think there's trouble. This is huge."
Source: Daiji World
