The Council of School Certificate Examination (CISCE) in India has decided to include JK Rowling's Harry Potter series in the English Literature syllabus for junior and middle school students, starting from 2017-18.

The Mumbai Times asked Shetty for her views on the inclusion of characters from popular culture in a new reading syllabus for school children in India. Shilpa Shetty replied, "I think having books like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter as part of the syllabus is a great move because it cultivates imagination and creativity at a young age. I think books like Little Women would also encourage respect towards women at a young age. Even Animal Farm should be included as it will teach the little ones to love and care for animals".

Orwells Animal Farm was first published in England on 17 August 1945. According to Orwell, the book reflects events leading up to the Russian Revolution of 1917 and then on into the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union. Shilpa Shetty's misunderstanding led to an outpouring of mockery on Twitter, where #ShilpaShettyReviews became the top trending hashtag across India as well as Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2016