Despite being largely unknown in Britain, viewers have warmed to the 31-year-old, one of Bollywood's hottest actresses.

Shetty has been locked in the Big Brother house since January 2 with a motley assortment of other celebrities, under the unforgiving 24-hour scrutiny of television cameras.

She has ruffled feathers among her female housemates who find her bossy and pretentious, and caught the roving eye of the male celebs -- finding a love interest in 61-year-old Dirk Benedict, alias Templeton "The Face" Peck from the 1980s US television show "The A-Team".

Big Brother producers sought out the actress and reportedly paid her more than the others -- up to 350,000 pounds (675,000 dollars, 520,000 euros) -- to inject some Bollywood spice and shore up ethnic South Asian viewers.

"I just want every Indian to be extremely proud that I'm in here," the karate black belt said on entering the house.

"I want to clear out the misconception of Indian people. We are modern, intelligent and glamorous.

"I have zero expectations. The only thing I really hope to keep is my self-respect and my dignity."

However, that could be a challenge as housemates are regularly put through humbling tasks.

The Big Brother format is a worldwide television hit. In Britain, it is Channel Four's biggest programme and gets mass tabloid coverage.

The celebrity version offers wider recognition for the lesser-known participants, while forgotten stars can revive flagging careers.

Viewers vote out the housemates one by one, with the winner earning a cheque for charity to go alongside the profile boost.

Shetty's appearance is testament to the growing bond between Britain and Bollywood.

Britain is now the biggest Bollywood market outside India with box office revenues more than doubling between 1999 and 2005. Furthermore, Britain is to host the 2007 "Bollywood Oscars" -- the International Indian Film Academy Awards.

Now Shetty is certain to become the best-known Bollywood star in Britain.

"She is doing something one step ahead," her spokesman and publicist Dale Bhagwagar told.

"Definitely now her fan base will expand.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she is offered a Hollywood film or a British film or film from another country.

"If good offers come, she'll do them. But what she really wants is critical acclaim now.

"Big Brother has never been about the money or the profile or how people would perceive her, it's been about whether she would have fun.

"She was skeptical but thought what the heck? What's there to hide?"

Shetty has been rubbing shoulders with 1970s pop star Leo Sayer, singer Jermaine Jackson of the Jackson Five and former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd.

Also on board are Jo O'Meara, who sang the difficult notes with S Club 7, loudmouth former Big Brother star Jade Goody, her boyfriend and her now-evicted one-armed, tattooed lesbian mother.

Film director Ken Russell quit following a row over biscuits.

AIDS and anti-fur campaigner Shetty, who won awards for her role in Phir Milenge (2004), admitted: "I don't know what I'm doing here. Some things are just not my scene."

And a clique of her female housemates, who persistently get her name wrong, might well agree.

"I asked for smoked mackerel and what's-her-name, Shullup, just looked at me like I was stupid," grumbled Lloyd.

"She's so controlling and bossy, I don't like that. I feel she'd talk about me when I left the room."

Goody added: "I find her a bit irritating at times, she seems a bit fake to me"; sentiments echoed by O'Meara.

Jack Tweedy has also been bitching about Shilpa with his girlfriend Jade, and he has allegedly made a racist remark against Shilpa, calling her "you bloody Paki".

‘Paki' is a derogatory term mostly used by the whites in UK and Canada to insult a South Asian.

Although the television channel airing the programme is said to have muted the word with a beep sound, but the movement of Jack's lips reveal what he said.

Shilpa was reportedly shocked at hearing the comment but she did not respond. Apparently, she deems Jacks remark not worth responding, and very rightly so.

Only battle-axe journalist Carole Malone defended the Bollywood beauty.

"I think some people are starting to pick on Shilpa, they need someone to moan about. It's quite sad really because she's done nothing wrong," she said.

The male housemates have been much more receptive.

Michael Jackson's brother has been on hand to mop up tears, while her relationship with Benedict, 61, has been hotting up.

"I think he's very sexy," Shetty revealed, adding that she worried The Face was too old and wrinkly.

The A-Team hero said he felt close to her, "but not close enough".

"Although I can't pronounce her name, which is a hindrance, I've been flirting with her," he said, admitting he was after her phone number and considering a move to Mumbai.