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She began her career with a substantial role in Shanti and went on to become a household name. Extraa Innings gave her a glamorous image, and her noodle-strap blouses were the talk of the town. Meet Mandira Bedi, who recently participated in Fear Factor. And won. "I participated in the celebrity episode, and it was great being a contestant for once. Winning was the most exciting part, not because the prize money was Rs 10 lakh but because I host sporty events and felt that I had to prove myself, in a way. We had three games and shot for three days in Malaysia. The first game involved being handcuffed underwater and finding a key as quickly as possible. The second -- the yuckiest -- had us in a coffin-like box, covered in centipedes, rats and spiders. We were asked not to have a bath as that would irritate the creatures. When I finished that round, I was in tears. I never knew I had it in me to do something like that. The third round was a proper stunt involving a helicopter. It was dangerous, but I did it smoothly.
With Fear Factor, you know you are risking your life, but there hasn't been a single casualty to date. The only thing is you should have the guts to go through it all."
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After her mass communication from Sophia College in Mumbai, Mandira thought of doing her internship with Prahlad Kakkar. "While doing that, I was offered Shanti. Then came Aurat, and Extraa Innings. We were trying to take cricket to all sections of people, especially women. I still have a contract with Sony, but it hasn't got the rights for the last few matches, which is why I haven't been seen on the cricket front lately. There will be matches by October though, for which Sony has rights. When I got the offer for Extraa Innings, I began reading about cricket and became well-versed with the statistics. I soon realised, however, that no matter how much you prepare, it is of no help because on the day of the game, you just have to speak about that day's play.
I started promoting women's cricket because matches for men do not need much of a boost in India. When my name got attached to women's cricket, we could organise funds and attract sponsorship.
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I don't think Extraa Innings was glamorous as such. It is because I was sitting with five men that I started looking glamorous. People started talking about my noodle-strap blouses only because I called them that in an interview. For me, fashion is something I am comfortable wearing and carrying. I love wearing jeans and a T-shirt on a daily basis but, when I have to put my best foot forward, I prefer wearing a sari. It makes me look glamorous. My first movie was Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. I was then offered many roles as a sister, but I didn't want them. It was really difficult for me to break away from the DDLJ image.
There was no lull between the film's release and my cricket season though. I always had something or the other in hand. I had corporate shows to host, I was also doing English theatre and advertisements. By the grace of God, I have never seen any struggle. I got every offer because of my previous work. Things just worked out for me
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I am more popular than my husband (director Raj Kaushal who made Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi and Shaadi Ka Laddoo), but this has never created problems between us. He is very understanding. He will soon have a new movie out -- a thriller with Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi. That will be his comeback. Managing time is difficult but not impossible. You have to learn to manage everything, whether it is home or work, and I have been very fortunate that my husband is helpful and understanding. But sometimes, it does get more hectic, especially when you are travelling constantly. While promoting cricket, I stayed in 50 hotels in three months! I didn't know where I was supposed to live the next day. It was taking a toll on me, and I began getting dark circles under my eyes. Thanks to make-up, they didn't show on our faces. I try and catch up on sleep whenever I can.
My greatest stress-buster is exercise. On a normal day, when I am not shooting, I watch mindless television. I spend little more than three minutes on any channel.
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Everything is good for me whether it is cinema or serials. But hosting a show is a high because it is live. That's also why I like doing theatre. I am currently doing shows of Anything But Love, with Samir Soni. I have just one TV show in hand -- Deal Ya No Deal -- and am working in a movie called Marathon. It is produced by Standard Chartered and based on five short stories about why people participate in a marathon. It stars Bikram Saluja, Purab Kohli and Dara Singh among others.
I play a woman whose life revolves around her family. Then, something happens and she becomes lonely. That's when she thinks of running the marathon. Dara Singh plays an army officer who sees me practicing and decides to help me. One of the stories is also loosely based on Anil Ambani, and why he decided to run the marathon."
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