Mandira not out

Anything happens in the cricket world and news channels call me up to know what I think.”

Mandira Bedi has come a long way from doing meaningful roles in serials like Shanti to acting in films like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge to the more recent Dus Kahaaniyaan. She then also took to anchoring various shows,

including reality shows like Deal Ya No Deal,Fame Gurukul and Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star. But her claim to fame by and large still remains her role as the anchor on the cricket show Extraa Innings.

Speaking about her professional journey,Bedi says,“Nobody has offered me a role like the one in Shanti. It was both an inspirational and an aspirational role.” She is still known as the ‘first woman who ventured into cricket’ and

she admits she likes the tag.

“I enjoy it when people say I was the first woman to get into cricket. I feel I’m blessed with this connection with cricket. Our country

is extremely passionate about cricket and it’s nice that I have had a chance to associate with the sport.”

She combined the worlds of cricket and Bollywood with her movie Meerabai Not Out. Though the film didn’t do well at the box office,cricket fans dutifully flocked to the theatres. Yet,the failure of the movie has left Bedi unperturbed. Says she,“It’s always a hit or miss situation. It’s sad that my movie released a week after the 26/11 attacks. It got very good reviews,though.”

Many people don’t know that this feisty actress reads,writes ‘crazy’ poems and at some point of time she also used to paint on canvas in her free time. “I’m very disappointed that India is out of the T20 World Cup. It’s sad that this has happened. The reason could be that in T20,the distinction between a good team and a

not-so-good team was little and so,all sorts of ups and downs happened. It’s a pity we didn’t make it to the finals,” she laments,before signing off.