When Shilpa Shetty entered the Celebrity Big Brother house in January she was virtually unknown in Britain. Emerging three weeks later, she had become one of the most recognisable and high-profile faces in the UK, having been at the centre of a media furore. But who is the real Shilpa Shetty?

This documentary goes behind the headlines to reveal the Bollywood star’s rise to fame. Bagging her first lead role at the age of 19, Shilpa has appeared in almost 50 films. She has campaigned to raise awareness of HIV-Aids and against the use of wild animals in circuses, and she was chosen to be the ambassador of Romanov Vodka for her status as an aspirational icon, despite not drinking.

But there is also a controversial side to Shilpa Shetty. There are claims of family links to the Indian underworld and, last year, a warrant was issued against Shilpa for posing in an obscene manner. A fiercely guarded private life has led to rumours of devastating heartbreaks, hush-hush romances, intense grooming and plastic surgery. Through interviews with friends and colleagues, Sky One attempts to uncover the truth about this fascinating actress and discover what really makes the Bollywood star tick. With comment from Shilpa’s personal stylist Neeta Lulla, choreographer Rajiv and publicist Max Clifford, The Real Shilpa Shetty will tell you everything you didn’t know, or didn’t expect, about one of the most high- profile media figures of recent times.

Monday 19 March 2007 at 21:00 On Sky One