Shilpa Shetty, on a trip to Australia to promote her new film Metro, is tired of talking about Richard Gere's "trivial and insignificant" kiss on her cheek at a public function in India.

The star said she was shocked that three pecks on the cheek from the star at an event to promote AIDS awareness had caused such an international stir.

"It's because of things like this that people think of India as just burning effigies, snake charmers and elephants," quoted 'The Herald Sun' Saturday.

"One person made a complaint about it to further his own political agenda and then others burned effigies to get political mileage and it has all come at my and Richard's cost.

"Most people in India do not care. They are very sensible, modern people," Shilpa said.