NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty provided some much needed star power to Delhi's fashion week, walking the ramp for the most dramatic show yet of India's five-day fashion extravaganza.

Shetty, who made headlines worldwide after facing racist abuse on the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother, wore a shimmery gold evening dress for designer Tarun Tahiliani's show late on Thursday.

But more than Shetty's presence, it was three men dressed as long-tailed Indian monkeys that provided drama on stage, mimicking the models as they strutted up and down the ramp. Tahiliani also surprised many by playing the national anthem just before the show.

"When you have someone like Shilpa coming for the show, one has to make sure it lives up to expectations," he said.

Tahiliani, whose women's wear collection was inspired by tribal designs, draped his models in multi-hued chiffon and linen tunics, dresses with free-flowing silhouettes and silver sequins on the neck.

Designer duo Ashima and Leena Singh turned to the Silk Route and the Orient for their kimono-like dresses in chiffon and georgette fabrics. Their range included black outfits with dramatic red and white print motifs.

The influence of Mother Earth, with shades of browns and beiges, was evident in the collections of Siddartha Tytler and Vikram Phadnis. But designer Ranna Gill sought inspiration from the beach, displaying a flurry of whites and navy blues in a variety of fabrics and geometric designs.

Part of Gill's collection for women featured swimwear, and the designer said this was so because summer, for her, symbolised "holiday resorts and travel".

More than 40 designers are showcasing spring and summer collections for 2008 at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, which opened this week.

For the first time since India's fashion week started in 2000, the shows are being held in Pragati Maidan, a sprawling venue designed for trade fairs, instead of in swanky hotels.