Globe Trotter Oprah Dazzles India

Oprah Winfrey landed in India from South Africa where after attending the first ever graduation ceremony of 72 students of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls here in Jozi. This week she's in Asia to shoot an interview with Deepak Chopra in his native land. 

I did not write anything about her being in SA because I do not see that as news anymore. The woman practically leaves in Mzansi, no wonder she wanted to be zulu. 

Oprah Winfrey was greeted by top-notch Indian socialites and Bollywood glitterati including megastar Amitabh Bachchan, superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and one of the world's most beautiful women Aishwarya Rai at a private party.

The talk show host arrived in Mumbai Monday on her maiden trip there and was welcomed at the luxurious Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel with a traditional garland, while eight visually challenged boys from the charity Happy Home sang a song “Swagatam” which means "Welcome" in the ancient Sanskrit language.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, her packed schedule kicked off Monday night with a private visit to the home of Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan whose actor son Abhishek and actress wife Aishwarya recently had a baby daughter. The star couple appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” a couple years ago.

“The gracious Oprah Winfrey visits our home, to meet us and bless the baby… warm hearted, endearing… And Oprah in sari, looking lovely! ”, Amitabh Bachchan tweeted Monday night.

Wearing an orange and golden saree gifted by Aishwarya, she was then driven by the Bachchans to an exclusive private party in her honor hosted by top socialite Parmeshwar Godrej.

Oprah’s interaction with Indian celebrities created a minor online buzz.

“Tonight was dinner at the Godrej House wid Oprah Winfrey. Nice 2 see her wear a beautiful Sari  ,” actress Preity Zinta (who also hosts her own TV talk show) tweeted.

According to reports, Winfrey’s agenda includes a three-day visit, from Jan 20, at the Jaipur Literature Festival where she is expected to shoot a major portion of “Oprah’s Next Chapter.” 

The India segment is to include an interview with well-known new age author Deepak Chopra to be filmed at the Jaipur City Palace, home of the Jaipur royal family who will also host a special evening for Winfrey and Chopra.

In addition, Oprah Winfrey and her accompanying crew are shooting another special, India Experience, which will take them to the Taj Mahal in Agra, the holy city of Rishikesh near the Ganges river, the capital Delhi and Mumbai.

Meanwhile, OWN announced three new series Friday about female firefighters, matchmakers unleashed on a small town, and what constitutes normalcy.

The network announced the show at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. The new shows come as OWN tries to improve its audience in its second year, which kicked off with “Oprah’s Next Chapter” scoring the network’s best ratings yet.

The trip was not without any drama. Indian police are reported to have briefly detained three of Oprah Winfrey's bodyguards after they scuffled with local TV journalists Thursday, a news agency reported.

According to local reports Oprah had been traveling with both American and Indian bodyguards while visiting the Hindu pilgrimage town of Mathura, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Delhi.

Press Trust of India said police detained three of her bodyguards after local journalists said their video equipment had been damaged in a brawl. No one was reported hurt, and there was no indication that the American bodyguards were involved.

The three guards were released after apologizing in a letter to the journalists, PTI said.