Big bucks follow Big Brother win

Lucrative endorsements, paid public appearances, int'l films and a biography are some of the deals awaiting her, report Vijay Dutt & Saurabh Turakhia.

Lucrative endorsements, paid public appearances, international film projects, and a biography are just some of the deals awaiting Shilpa Shetty following her win on British reality television show Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) on Sunday.

The offers are already trickling in, with the Daily Mirror bidding £150,000 (Rs 1.2 crore) for the first interview after the show, surpassing the Sun’s £100,000 (Rs 80 lakh) bid.

Sources close to Shilpa said several other projects, including an ethnic minority awards night and Cricket Star — a cricket-media reality show for which she may get £100,000 — are being lined up.

There was also speculation about an album of Bollywood hits and a film career in the US. “We have some offers, but we have to discuss them with Shilpa and her mother Sunanda,” her new agent Max Clifford said.

Shilpa, who was paid Rs 3 crore to appear on CBB, will have advertisers lining up back home too. Agents said she is likely to be sought by advertisers across Asia and would command fees of several hundred thousand pounds. In India, she was likely to endorse products ranging from designer wear to personal care products.

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Komal Nahta, editor of trade magazine Film Information, says, “Even if she lands five brands, that would work out to Rs 10 to 15 crore.” That, of course, would be in addition to the movie and television roles. The Emami Group has already shown an interest. “We would be comfortable offering Shetty Rs 75 lakh over two years,” Emami director Aditya Agarwal said.

Sixty-three per cent of viewers voted for Shilpa to win after she drew praise for her grace in enduring allegedly racist taunts from housemates.