NDTV

New Delhi, Jan 17: A save Shilpa Shetty campaign is gaining momentum in the United Kingdom.

It is two days after the first complaints started coming in that the Bollywood actress had been a victim of racism on the UK reality TV show Big Brother.

The British-Asian community is now actively championing Shilpa's cause with campaigns on the Internet and SMS.

Media watchdog Ofcom has received more than 7000 letters complaining about how Shilpa was targeted by her housemates.

On Tuesday the matter was even raised in the House of Commons by Labour MP Keith Vaz who said this behaviour was unacceptable.

Shilpa has been having an exceptionally hard time dealing with the racist slurs on the wildly popular reality show aired on Britain's Channel Four.

A few of her nine housemates that are accused of racism are Jack Tweede, who called the bollywood actress "a Paki." Another one Jade Goody said Shilpa "made her skin crawl."

Goody's mother, who was also on the show, refused to call Shetty anything but "the Indian." The mother has now been evicted.

Viewers complain

The channel's website has viewers writing in their complaints as well.

One viewer has written: "I have been watching her ordeal over the last few days with increasing discomfort that has now turned to utter disgust at the blatant displays of ignorance and racism by her fellow housemates."

Others call Shilpa's tormentors the terrible trio of Jade, Jo, Danielle and want them evicted.

The producers of Channel 4 say they will take racism seriously and are monitoring all the housemates before taking appropriate measures.

Outside the studios, Shilpa appears to be enjoying tremendous popularity.

It is perhaps partly because she's got a big following within and outside the large South Asian community and also because of her budding romance with one of the contestants.

"Actually we get a daily update of the odds from Labrokes as to who is the favourite in the house, and today the odds are that Shilpa and Dirk are the joint favourites at the moment," said Laura Atkinson, Showbiz editor, More magazine.

"So, I think she's got a pretty good chance. I think the budding romance with Dirk is quite interesting because he's obviously very keen on her. I think she's playing it very well and I think if she continues that's going to keep the public's interest in her," she added.

When Shilpa joined the show she had said that she wanted to keep her self-respect and dignity intact.

While she may have got a lot more than she bargained for the Bollywood actress has certainly made a splash. Perhaps just the kind of stuff Big Brother thrives on.