There’s much that’s desi and much that’s exotic about Preeti Desai, the latest Bollywood import from UK. Having already sent the gossip mills in overdrive because of her ‘romantic’ liaison and a dare-bare photoshoot, Preeti now makes her debut in Shor In The City.

The face is bona fide Indian. She could have been just another pretty girl from Ahmedabad. But Preeti Desai’s heavy English accent gives away her British roots - a girl who was born to Gujarati parents in Middlesbrough, attended a Catholic school and went on to train in hair and beauty therapy from Middlesbrough College before opening a salon of her own.

The door to fame was flung wide open in an unexpectedly pleasant twist of fate. In 2006, Preeti participated in the Miss Great Britain contest and was placed fifth. But then, the crown winner Danielle Lloyd was stripped of the title on the grounds of impropriety and a poll was conducted by The Sun newspaper to choose the new winner. Preeti Desai was voted as the new Miss Great Britain 2006, becoming the first person of colour to win the coveted title.

That first step into showbiz metamorphosed into a leap that Preeti took into the world of modelling. Now as Bollywood beckons Preeti, we bring you the more inside dope on the girl that’s got everyone talking.