Bedi's back in the field

Television host Mandira Bedi returns to cricket in IPL's Season 2 which has everyone glued to their screens, says SRABANTI CHAKRABARTI

She is not a cricketer, but has changed the way we watch cricket on television. She is not a fashion designer, but has changed the way we dress. She is not good looking in the traditional sense, but has thousands of girls dying to get her brand of look. Meet Mandira Bedi, the lady who has changed cricketing shows on Indian television for good. “In 1993, when I hosted Extraa Innings on Max for the first time, no one thought of having a glamour element added to it. Statistics and technicalities of a particular stroke or a ball were all that was discussed. However, Extra Innings changed it all,” says a proud Mandira who is back as the glam-doll in IPL Season 2. “It feels great to be back on a cricketing show. Even more, because I was not part of the first season of IPL,” says a visibly excited Mandira. The actress who started her career in and as Shanti in the popular ‘90s soap says she has always been passionate about cricket. “In Extraa Innings my passion and profession come together! And I feel that is evident from the popularity of the show,” explains a proud Mandira. “You cannot host a programme like this unless you are passionate about the game and unless you know certain technicalities of how it is played,” says the actress who had travelled across the length and breadth of the country last year to watch the matches of IPL. Last year the live telecast of IPL matches had a hurricane effect on other television shows, whose TRPs nosedived while the tournament was going on. In fact, not just the television industry, it had a severe impact on the film industry as well with all multiplexes running to empty houses. (The joke doing round this year is that the multiplex strike in Mumbai has been timed to coincide with IPL because anyway no one would go to watch movies) Mandira feels this year the effect is going to be even more. “The venue is South Africa — a very pretty country. That is definitely going to add to the attractiveness of the show. Viewers will be able to see the country along with the exciting matches,” says the actress who agrees that it is no longer just a game of cricket but a complete commercial entertainment package. Mandira feels this is precisely where women’s cricket lags behind, despite having equal if not better players in our country. “We are equally successful in women’s cricket, but how many of us know the names of our women cricketers? I feel the media is largely to be blamed. They do not find enough reason to cover women’s cricket in detail. If they started following it closely the remaining would have been taken care of,” says the lady who was famous for her strong portrayal of Shanti before she started hosting shows. Mandira’s noodle strap blouses and mind-blowing sarees went a long way in popularising her Extraa Innings. This time she is being seen in a completely new look with a smart, short haircut. Wearing an off-shoulder dress that fitted perfectly in her near size-zero figure during the interview, Mandira says she did this hairstyle specially for IPL 2. “Cricket has given me a lot of fame. This is the minimum I could do for the game. However, you will not see me in sarees this time, since I will mostly be on the ground and it may be slightly uncomfortable. But yes, I will try to set new fashion trends this time as well,” says the sultry seductress who had to put a scarf on her off-shoulder dress in a recent match due to the weather conditions in South Africa. And you thought cricket was all about 22 yards, 10 fielders, a bowler and two batsmen!