Mandira Bedi is an Indian Bollywood and television actress who is popularly known for playing the lead character in the television serial Shanti, shown on India's national channel, Doordarshan. She followed up her career in TV serials with shows like Aurat (DD and Sony), Dushman (DD) and Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (Star Plus) with hosting duties for ICC Cricket World Cups in the Years 2003 and 2007 and the Champions Trophies in the years 2004 and 2006 as well as the IPL season 2 for Sony Max. She fronted the coverage of IPL season 3 for British Network: ITV.
Mandira Bedi was born on 15th April, 1972 in Kolkata. She belongs to a Punjabi-speaking Bombay-based Bedi family.
Mandira Bedi's nickname is Mandy. Her father is Verinder Singh Bedi worked with ICI on a transferable job. Her mother is Gita Bedi. She spent her childhood (age 5 onwards) in Mumbai in South Mumbai.
She studied at Mumbai's Cathedral and John Connon School and did her Graduation in economics from St. Xaviers college, Mumbai followed by a post graduation in Media from Sophia Polytech, Mumbai.
After her studies while she working at Oglivy & Mather Advertising Agency, she was offered to play a role on the small screen in Shanti. This led her to sign up for 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahoo Thi' also.
After making her mark in telivision serials like Shanti, she appeared in a supporting role in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(1995).Mandira also played a negative role in one of the most famous daily soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi.
Mandira has anchored talent shows like Fame Gurukul, Deal Ya No Deal and Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star aired on star plus.
An Aries, she is passionate about live cricket and was thrilled when Sony Television offered her to compère 'Extra Innnings'. Her appearance in a wide array of designer Sarees glamorized the drab male-dominated cricket world which eventually led to a rise in viewer-ship. Cricket-obsessed viewers in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries, both male and female, were enchanted with this svelte, fresh-faced, sexy, Saree-clad, and wholesome Indian girl.
Fashion Designer, Satya Paul, designed cricket-themed Sarees, which included one with signatures of cricketers; another one with cricket newspaper headlines; one with animations of players; one with mini flags of cricket participating nations, which are just a few out of the 50 odd ones.
The 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) tall Mandira Bedi has appeared on the cover of many magazines like Femina, Maxim India, Prevention, GoodHousekeeping, Marie claire and Cosmopolitan. She has also done many fashion features for magazines like Verve, Vogue India, Grazia, Elle and L'officielle. She presented coverage of the 2010 Indian Premier League (season 3) cricket on ITV which started on ITV4 on March 12, 2010. and is presenting the ICC Cricket world Cup 2011 for an English News Channel called Timesnow.
Mandira Bedi married Bollywood Film Director, Raj Kaushal, on February 14, 1999, and they live in Bandra, Mumbai. Mandira gave birth to a baby boy on 19th June, 2011 at Lilvati Hospital, Mumabi. He has been named Vir.
She has acted in hubby's movie 'Shaadi Ka Ladoo', and is currently involved in the filming of 'Dus Kahaniyan'. She likes doing a variety of screen roles, but prefers glamorized dramas. She would love to do negative roles, like the one in 'Kyun Ki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thee', but is told that she does not have a face for it. She has appeared in 'Fame Gurukool', she is the anchor of Set Max's World Cup Cricket 2007, a sitcom 'Papa Ban Gaya Hero' amongst others.
She is very active on Twitter (@mandybedi) and often presents the lighter side of cricket, in rhymes on the microblogging site.
