Mandira Bedi is a renowned Indian actress, fashion designer, and television anchor. Mandira earned celebrity status while portraying a strong girl in the 1994 Indian television serial, Shanti, telecasted on Doordarshan, an Indian national channel. She followed her acting career in various Indian television shows during the 1990s. Since then, Mandira has been acting flawlessly in several Indian Hindi movies, serials, and web series. In the 2000s, Mandira was honoured with the duty to host and cover several ICC Cricket World Cups and the Indian Premier League seasons. In 2012, Faux leather for PETA was promoted by Mandira Bedi. Mandia Bedi launched her own signature saree store on 26 October 2013.
Wiki/Biography
Mandira Bedi was born on Saturday, 15 April 1972 (age 49 years; as of 2021) in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Her zodiac sign is Aries. Her hometown is Fazilka, Punjab, India. She received her school education at Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai. She was graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai. Thereafter, Mandira post-graduated from Sophia Polytechnic College, Mumbai. [1]Hindustan Times
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Weight (approx.): 54 Kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Body Measurements (approx.): 35-26-35
Mandira Bedi
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her father’s name is Verinder Singh.
Mandira Bedi’s memories with her father
Her mother’s name is Gita Bedi.
Mandira Bedi with her mother
She has an elder brother, Harmeet who is a bank investor, and she has a sister-in-law, Dipika.
Mandira Bedi with her brother and sister-in-law
Mandira Bedi with her brother
Husband & Children
Mandira Bedi got married to Raj Kaushal, an Indian director, producer and stunt man who was active during the late 1990s and mid-2000s, on 14 February 1999.
Mandira Bedi with her husband, Raj Kaushal, on her wedding day in 1999
On 27 January 2011, the couple expected their first child.
Image Instagrammed by Mandira Bedi during her pregnancy
On 19 June 2011, Mandira gave birth to a baby boy at the Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai and named him Vir.
Mandira with her son, Vir
In 2013, Madira and her husband applied for adopting a baby girl to complete their family, and in October 2020, they adopted a four-year-old girl and named her Tara Bedi Kaushal. [2]Hindustan Times
Mandira Bedi with her adopted daughter
On 30 June 2021, Raj Kaushal succumbed to death after suffering a heart attack. [3]Bollywood Bubble
The last picture of Mandira Bedi’s husband, Raj Kaushal
Career
Films
Mandira marked her debut in the famous romantic Indian movie ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ in 1995.
She then followed with several hit Indian movies in which Mandira has appeared as an actress:
2000: Badal in Hindi (uncredited role)
2004: Shaadi Ka Laddoo as Tara in Hindi
2004: Manmadhan Psychiatrist in Tamil as Guest appearance
2005: Naam Gum Jaayega as Nalini in Hindi
2005: Bali as Anchal in Hindi TV movie
2005: Divorce as Renuka Joshi in Hindi
2007: Dus Kahaniyaan as Pooja in Hindi (Anthology film)
2008: Meerabai Not Out as Meera A. Achrekar in Hindi
2009: 42kms as Sanjana in Hindi
2014: O Teri in Hindi
2017: Ittefaq as Dev’s wife in Hindi
2018: Vodka Diaries as Shikha Dixit in Hindi
2019: The Tashkent Files as Indira Joseph Roy in Hindi
Saaho as Kalki in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil languages
2021: Adangathey in Tamil Filming
Ezham Mudra in Malayalam
Television
In 1994, barely had she received a job offer at Oglivy & Mather Advertising Agency, a New York City-based British advertising, marketing, and public relations agency when she was offered to play a role on the small screen on the first Indian Television daily soap ‘Shanti’ on Doordarshan. In 2016, in an interview with a media house, Mandira said that the serial ‘Shanti’ made her a strong person. She explained,
Shanti was a strong woman who stood for many things. I would find myself standing up for the rest of the unit when the food served was bad. Shanti made me a stronger person.”
Mandira Bedi in the Indian television show, Shanti
Later, in the 1990s, Mandira was offered the TV serial ‘Aurat,’ presented on DD and Sony channel, starring Mandira Bedi as the protagonist. She followed up her acting career on the small screen with various Indian daily soaps including ‘Dushman’ on DD.
Mandira Bedi in a still from the serial Dushman
In the 1990s, Mandira portrayed a negative character in the other serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ telecasted on Star Plus, an Indian TV Channel.
Mandira Bedi in a still from the serial Kyuki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
In an interview, Mandira said that she chose not to participate in the serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ after some time working in it, because it gave her a negative role, and because people started relating her to the character very strongly and she then opted out of the serial. She explained,
It gave me my first negative role. But I did not enjoy the experience so much. Doing a negative role on TV is bad because people start relating to the character very strongly. Sadly, the character was also called Mandira. So here I was playing this character that isn’t me. I enjoyed in the beginning but later, I found no conviction in that role. I wanted to give this character some dignity but that was not to happen. So I opted out.”
The list of Television Serials in which Mandira has appeared as an actress:
1994: Shanti as Shanti on DD National / Star Plus
1995: Aahat in Episodes 196,197
199?: Aurat as Pragati on DD National / Sony
1997-1998: Ghar Jamai as Chandni on Zee TV
1999: Hello Friends as Julie
2001: Dushman as Sujata on DD Metro
2001: CID as Reshma on Sony Entertainment Television
2001–2003: Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Dr Mandira Kapadia Star Plus
2003: Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin as Mandira on Sony Entertainment Television
2004-2006: Sarabhai vs Sarabhai as guest appearance as Cookie Sharma on Star One
2005: Fame Gurukul as Host on Sony Entertainment Television
CID: Special Bureau as Sagrika
2006: Fear Factor India as Contestant
2007–2008: Funjabbi Chak De as Host on Star One
2008: Mahabharat by Sanjay Khan as Draupadi on Zee TV
2008: Jo Jeeta Wohi Super Star as Host on Star Plus
2009: Ek Se Badhkar Ek – Jalwe Sitaron Ke as Host on Zee TV
Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi as Contestant on Colors
2013: Indian Idol Junior as Host on Sony Entertainment
2014: Gangs of Haseepur as Judge on Zee TV
2015: I Can Do That as Celebrity contestant
2016: India’s Deadliest Roads as Herself on History TV
2018: MTV Troll Police as Guest on MTV India
The list of Television Web Series in which Mandira Bedi has performed as an actress:
2017: Romil & Jugal as Ahalya Alt on Balaji in the Hindi Language
2018: Smoke as Tia on Eros Now in the Hindi Language
2019: Thinkistan as Anushka Shroff on MX Player in Hindi and English Languages
2019: Shaadi Fit as Host on MX Player in the Hindi Language
2021: Qubool Hai 2.0 as Ms Damini Sood on ZEE5 in the Hindi Language
2021: Six as Ruhana Dhulaap on Disney Hotstar in the Hindi Language
Fashion Designer
In 2014, Mandira Bedi made her ramp debut as a fashion designer with her saree collection.
Mandira Bedi on-ramp while marking her debut as a fashion designer
Cricket Host
Mandira Bedi attended the Cricket Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka in 2002. The audience noticed her in the stadium and asked her that what she was doing there. She then replied that she came to watch the cricket match. Later, the presenters of the cricket from that point had Mandira Bedi on their mind, who was passionate and curious about cricket. In 2002, during the World Cup, Sony TV was looking for a host, and they called Mandira. To secure her seat as a host, she passed the test given to her with 20 questions on cricket. In an interview, Mandira said,
Initially, I got a lot of flak for the show but I just stuck in there. I said I want to enjoy and I want acceptance. I still say I’m not an expert on cricket. I have a passion for the game; I represent cricket fan. I’m not a commentator or an analyst. Whatever I know about the game would be what any other cricket fan knows except that I’m sitting on the panel. I lend certain energy to the show. That’s what my job is.”
Later, in 2003 and 2007, Mandira hosted ICC Cricket World Cups. In 2004, Mandira was the host of the Cricket Champions Trophies. In 2006, she honoured with the duty to host the Indian Premier League season 2 for Sony Max, an Indian cricket channel. The IPL season 3 was also covered by Mandira Bedi for the British Network – ITV.
Controversy
In 2007, she attracted controversy when she wore a saree that had flags of all the cricket teams of participating countries in the final match between Sri Lanka and Australia during the ICC World Cup 2007. The controversy was caused because the Indian flag was printed on the folds of her saree near her foot. Later, she apologised for the same.
Mandira Bedi while wearing a flag saree in the final of ICC Cricket 2007
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- Bharat Ratna in 2010
Favourite Things
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Food: Chinese food, chocolates, khus-khus salad and mushroom cappuccino and paneer Makhan Wala
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Actor(s): Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Hrithik Roshan
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Actress: Parineeti Chopra
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Film: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
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Restaurant: China Gate in Bandra, Mumbai, India
Facts/Trivia
- She also goes by the name Mandy. [4]Freepress Journal
- Mandira Bedi follows a vegetarian diet. [5]http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-07-25/news-interviews/32829141_1_mandira-bedi-leather-and-lace-peta” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>The Times of India
- Mandira Bedi is a fitness enthusiast and does gymming regularly. She often posts her pictures on her social media account while working out at the gym.
Mandira Bedi while working out at a gym
Mandira’s personal interview on exercise regime she did to lose weight.
- Mandira Bedi mixed commentating cricket with glamour avatar that brought a revolution in the women across the world.
Mandira posing at the cricket ground as a cricket commentator
- In 2006, Mandira Bedi won the Indian reality show named Fear Factor India.
Mandira Bedi at the reality show Fear Factor
- Mandira has often seen endorsing eco-friendly consumable products on her social media accounts.
Mandira while promoting healthier consumable products
- Various renowned Indian magazines and tabloids have seen featuring Mandira on their cover page.
Mandira Bedi on a magazine cover page
- Various product advertisement agencies featured Mandira Bedi as their product promoter in India.
Mandira Bedi while promoting Surf detergent in India
- In 2012, Mandira promoted faux leather for PETA.
Mandira Bedi while promoting faux leather for PETA in 2012
- In 2013, in an interview, Mandira announced publically that she was returning to fiction characters on television after nine years of pause from the acting career as she was busy in her motherhood earlier. She further added that she would resume her acting career in the fiction genre, not a daily soap. She unfolded,
I can’t say anything about it because I haven’t signed the contract yet. All I can tell you is that it is going to be a game-changer on Indian television. It had to be something special for me to come back because all these years, I have been away from fiction and, yes, this is not even a daily soap.”
- In 2017, Mandira Bedi disclosed several facts about her personal, fitness, and acting life through a video interview.
- In 2017, Mandira Bedi recalled her memories, emotions, feelings and many other stories sculpted in the form of her home with a live video along with an Indian brand, Asian Paints.
- In an interview, in 2019, Mandira unfolded a fact related to her life that she had a feeling of insecurity during her 30s but with the passage of time she loved herself so much. She explained,
In my 20s, I was making a place for myself in the world of entertainment. I had a feeling of insecurity in the 30s and now in the 40s, I feel the best ever. I love myself so much.”
- In June 2020, Mandira Bedi started her own Live sessions on fitness and training on her social media account.
Mandira Bedi on the invitation page of Live Fitness classes on Instagram
- Mandira Bedi was brutally trolled by her haters for adopting a poor baby girl in 2020 on her social media pictures with her family. She said, in an interview, that she got hurt after reading these comments on her family photographs. She described,
My blood boils at the mere thought of what that troll said about my daughter. People have angst and they’re looking for ways to vent. I just wish they could use their energies for something better. It was appalling to see those nasty comments for a little child. What kind of people say such disgusting things about a harmless kid? It’s not okay to attack my family as I can’t take it and my claws will come out.”
A screenshot of Mandira Bedi’s Instagram story
- In 2020, Mandira Bedi launched her book ‘Happy For No Reason’ along with Satyadev Barman and gave a video interview to an Indian news channel. They further discussed their collaboration on writing the content. Mandira Bedi and Satyadev Barman spoke about the inspiration to write the book and also elucidated the fitness chapter in the book.
- In February 2021, Mandira engraved a ‘Thank You’ tattoo on her left hand and flaunted it on her social media account.
Mandira with a tattoo on her hand
- In 2021, in an interview, Mandira expressed her feelings and emotions towards her husband, Raj Kaushal. She spelt out,
He is a basic person, very honest. There is nothing fake about him like people who don masks to hide their true selves. With Raj, it’s – what you see is what you get.”
- On 30 June 2021, Mandira Bedi’s husband passed away due to a heart attack, and Mandira herself performed the last rites of her husband.
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Mandira Bedi performed the last rites of her husband, Raj Kaushal