Mumbai - (Ass Mess): Furious protestors set alight an effigy of Pretty Woman star Richard Gere after he snogged and groped Celebrity Big Racist winner Shilpa Shetty at an Aids awareness rally in New Delhi.
Gere, 58, fondled the Bollywood actress on stage at the rally which was focussed on India's truck driving community.
Having kicked off proceedings by shouting "no condom, no sex" in Hindi to a delighted audience, Gere then lunged at his co-host the lissom Shilpa Shetty in a Al Gore-type of moment that he may live to regret for some time.
But the stunt didn't please conservative residents in India's capital Mumbai who felt Gere had sullied Shetty in public and demanded retribution by torching makeshift effigies of the greying Hollywood megastar.
Gere's agent apologied for the fiasco and said it was never his client's intention to pollute the country's number one celebrity.
"It was kinda an act of gallantry gone wrong," said his spokesman.
"Sure she's beautiful enough for any many to go wild over. But Richard meant no offence and just fancied a bit of a grope......er, that is...an admiring kiss so the world could see how close the Aids rally is to his heart."
Shetty looked flustered after being told protestors across India had organised rallies and shouted "Death to Shilpa Shetty".
But the rally raised millions of rupees which will now go to ensure India's truck driving community never go to work without wearing a condom.
Shilpa Shetty is 25.
