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Shilpa Shetty & Richard Gere cause uproar

Hollywood actor Richard Gere has sparked strong protests in India after kissing 'Celebrity Big Brother' star Shilpa Shetty repeatedly at an AIDS awareness campaign aunch.
1 of 1 Shetty - at the centre of controversy again
Shetty - at the centre of controversy again

Gere joined Shetty to promote a safe sex campaign aimed at truckers in India, the country with the world's largest number of people living with HIV.

While at the event Gere roared the words "No condom, no sex" in Hindi to thousands of truckers, who screamed the words back to him.

Gere then kissed actress Shetty on the hand and a number of times on the side of her face.

Afterwards, angry crowds in India began burning effigies of Gere and chanting "Down with Shilpa Shetty", claiming that Gere's actions go against Indian culture, as public displays of affection are largely taboo there.

Anjali Gopalan, head of Naz Foundation India, an AIDS prevention and care group, said: "I think he responded as an actor. He was playing to the gallery. I don't see anything bad."

Shetty was recently at the centre of controversy in the 'Celebrity Big Brother' house when viewers complained that other housemates were bullying her.

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