The star of the film An Officer and a Gentlemen was in New Delhi to participate in an AIDS charity event. At the scene, Gere kissed local star, Shilpa Shetty, on the cheek.
The incident was found to be too provocative for Indien residents. According to protestors, Gere had insulted the Indien culture by holding the face of a woman in his hands. In India, such displays of affection are viewed as taboo.
Shetty later defended Gere during a press conference, saying, "it was not so obscene. I understand people’s sentiments, but I don’t want a foreigner to take bad memories from here. I understand this is his culture, not ours."