Shilpa Shetty: Once kissed twice shy!

Shilpa Shetty presented Richard Gere with the prestigious ONE X ONE Difference Award at a charity gala organized by the world famous ONE X ONE Foundation to raise funds for awareness in welfare of children, at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, in Toronto (Canada) recently.

The foundation honoured the 57-year-old Gere; a practicing Buddhist, in appreciation of his charity work towards AIDS awareness, peace, justice and understanding, and for the rights and lands of tribal people throughout the world.

Though like Shilpa, controversy hasn't eluded Gere in recent times.

It can be recalled that a few months ago, a furore ensued when the Pretty Woman actor planted a couple of loving pecks on Shilpa's cheeks during an AIDS awareness rally in India. Crowds burned posters of Shilpa and Gere in protest.

This time around when Gere offered Shilpa his hand as she stepped off the stage at the Awards Night in Toronto, guests held their collective breath. Would there be a kiss? Or even a peck?.

But there was no smooch at the Awards to honor Gere for his Indian AIDS foundation work.

Mention of the kiss was studiously avoided until Gere himself brought it up, noting that in introducing Shetty, host Ajay Virmani "left out an important part of her career which happened this year. A certain slow dance movement with a certain American movie star."

Gee!