Mandira Bedi had the long Shanti, the evergreen Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge and the never ending Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi to her noteworthy credit, but she was not a satisfied lady. She wanted to do something big and be talked about. The Max cricket offer to compere the World Cup 2003 landed into her lap, and she grabbed it with both hands. Today, she is the talk of the town! Naturally she is smiling from ear to ear. Shows, functions, interviews, film-offers... she is jet-setting all over the place. A classic case of 'she came, she saw, she conquered...' Mandira has been shooting for Kyunki... till 8.30 pm when Vickey Lalwani called her for an appointment, but she agreed to see him rightaway. "No problem. I am always a bundle of energy. Come along to my new home in Bandra,," she says. Excerpts from a freewheeling conversation with the Extraa Innings hottie. |
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Retrace. How did 'Extraa Innings' happen? A few days later, I was at a press conference at the Sony office for the Papa Ban Gaye Hero show. Someone from Max asked me to come over into their section. I was asked 30 questions on cricket. I answered 23 correctly. Some days later, I was auditioned once again. A month later, I was on. I badly wanted this project. |
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If I am not mistaken, you showed your cards to a tarot card reader? Everybody was talking about me more than the game! Before the Cup, I was a known face on the road but not to this extent. Today, almost every Tom, Dick and Harry stop in their tracks when they see me. The tournament has opened a lot of new doors for me. Film offers are coming in heaps. |
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Was it easy? Or hectic? From 7 am to 7.30 am every day, the director would brief us. Then from 8 am to 10 am, we were on without a break. After 10 am, we used to have a heavy breakfast. Thereafter, we had to remain in the studio almost throughout the day. It could rain any moment, a wicket could fall anytime, we had to be ready. Hectic alright, but the entire stint was a learning curve for me. This one has broadened my horizon, changed my outlook towards life, and brought a new dimension in my body language. |
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What made you click? |
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Didn't your costumes play a big role? Today, virtually every educated and modern girl dresses up smartly. Most importantly, no attire worn by me was brazen. There are so many females in our film and telly world who wear stuff which send shock waves of higher intensity. Ruby Bhatia who compered the Champions Trophy in Colombo showed more skin than I did in the World Cup. Why single me out? |
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Which commentator's company did you enjoy the most? Tony Greig. He was knowledgable as well as humorous. Cricket is sport as well as entertainment. The idea of Max, therefore, was to keep it light. |
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Did you enjoy the SMS messages on you? |
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Have you signed a Tamil film? After the competition was over, I came back to India. Parthipan sent me an air-ticket for Chennai where I was supposed to meet him. I had no qualms about exploring on what I was being offered. I have no inhibitions on working down South. Forget the song-n-dance in those films which have to be introduced for commercial purposes, but don't forget that those guys make the most sensitive and meaningful cinema. It's much more real than the cinema here in Mumbai. The directors down south dwelve deeper into the human psyche. However, Parthipan's offer did not excite me at all. The role had hardly any substance; it was not having to move down South with bag-n-baggage. He was supposed to play the lead opposite two heroines and he wanted me as one of those. He even said that he would like to click some pictures of mine to judge the look I would portray. But I politely turned down the offer. Within no time, it was splashed left, right and centre that I was doing Lingam. I rang up to ask him and he clarified that he had told a section of the press that he was considering me for one of the female leads. Apparently, some other section of the press must have distorted the original version to create sensationilism. Even Maddy ( R.Madhavan) sent me a message asking whether I was doing Lingam. Frankly, I haven't signed any film as yet. I am contemplating certain offers which look meaty. But I am not in a hurry. |
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Will you leave television if films envelop you? |
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There were rumours about Yuvraj Singh and you... |
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What is this controversy about the Sikh community being upset with you because of your dogs? Someone from Delhi in the Gurdwara community picked it up and wanted to sue me for naming my dog as Bedi. Our Guru Nanakji was the first Bedi. Anyway, now the controversy is thankfully over. I have rendered an apology in the papers. I am a very proud Bedi Sikh. I haven't changed my surname after marriage. If I call my dogs as 'Bedi' and 'Kaushal', I call them out of affection; they are like family. |
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How does it feel to be back in 'Kyunki...'? God forbid, but what would you do if something happened to you in real life, like it has happened to Tulsi in 'Kyunki...'? |
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