Was Richard Gere Really Guilty for the Kissing to Shilpa Shetty?

The controversy over the open kissing between Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty has already been a hot news in India. The incident created a flurry of protests in India. Recently an arrest warrant has also been sent to Richard Gere and a summons has given to Shilpa Shetty asking her to present before the court on 5 May.

The Jaipur court has given both the order. Earlier, an advocate from Jaipur, Poonam Chand Bhandari, filed an obscenity kiss of the two actors. The court has also found guilty over the matter as saying the incident was sexually erotic. However, Pooja Bedi, a popular television personality, has recently said in a television program named “Kiss And Tel” that kissing or hugging in public can not go with obscenity; rather it should be found out whether the kissing or hugging indicates affection or obscenity. Shilpa Shetty said that she does not have any problem with the kissing with Richard Gere. So, according to Pooja Bedi, there is nothing to be object able over the matter. IBN Live reported:

When asked to Pooja Bedi that can Indians see people kiss each other in public, she said, “I just want to say one thing at the beginning I love the witticism but the issue is so much more deeper and grave than that. This moral policing has to stop. You look at operation majnu Meerut where they attacked couple for just being together. In a cosmopolitan city like Mumbai where couples are hauled up for hugging each other and holding each other. What have we come to? I don’t think it’s a voice a majority.”

“I don’t think there is anything wrong in showing affection in hugging someone showing that you love somebody. There is difference between affection and obscenity like you have to do a lip lock or tongue kissing may be that something too much to digest but if a person being affectionate, I think nothing wrong in that,” she added.

But who decides what is affection when does it cross over to obscenity who decides that a kiss is ok a hug is fine or a lip lock is not.

Well, I think, Indian culture and tradition do not go with having private affair in public. Richard Gere might not have any knowledge regarding the Indian culture. Moreover, I agree with Pooja that as Shilpa Shetty does not complain for the kissing then it is baseless to make the incident bigger.

Shilpa Shetty

richard gere

Richard Gere Kissing