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. She appeared in many popular TV shows during the 1990s. She has also appeared in many Hindi films and web series. In the 2000s, Mandira is also known for hosting various cricket events including ICC Cricket World Cups and Indian Premier League.
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. After her schooling at Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai, she attended St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. Thereafter, Mandira earned a post-graduate degree from Sophia Polytechnic College in Mumbai.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Weight (approx.): 54 Kg
Figure Measurements (approx.): 35-26-35
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Brown
Mandira Bedi
Family
Parents & Siblings
Her father’s name is Verinder Singh.
A collage of Mandira Bedi and 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 the name of her sister-in-law is 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 took to social media to announce that they were expecting 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.
Mandira Bedi with her adopted daughter
On 30 June 2021, Raj Kaushal died after suffering a heart attack.
Relationships/Affairs
Raj Kaushal
Mandira Bedi dated Raj Kaushal for a period of time before getting married to him in 1999. The duo met in 1996 and soon started dating.
Aditya Motwane
Mandira Bedi was rumoured to be dating Aditya Motwane, an entrepreneur and event planner, when she posted some cosy pictures of them from a vacation in the Maldives in 2023; Mandira, however, later deleted the post.
A picture of Mandira Bedi with Aditya Motwane from their 2023 Maldives vacation
Career
Films
Mandira marked her debut in the famous romantic Indian movie ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ in 1995.
Mandira Bedi in a still from the movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
Later, she appeared in many popular Bollywood films including Shaadi Ka Laddoo (2004), Dus Kahaniyaan (2007), and The Tashkent Files (2019).
Mandira Bedi in a still from the movie Dus Kahaniyan
She made her Tamil debut Manmadhan (2004) in which she played the role of a psychiatrist.
Mandira Bedi in Manmadhan (2004)
She made her Telugu debut with Saaho (2019) in which she played the role of Kalki.
Mandira Bedi in Telugu movie Saaho (2019)
She made her Malayalam debut with Ezham Mudra (2021).
Television
In 1994, she was offered a job at Ogilvy & Mather Advertising Agency, and in the same year, when she was offered to play the titular role in 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
In the 1990s, Mandira was offered the TV serial ‘Aurat,’ telecasted on DD and Sony channels, 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 TV serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ telecasted on Star Plus.
Mandira Bedi in a still from the serial Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi
In an interview, Mandira said that after working for some time in the TV serial ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi,’ she decided to leave the show as people had started relating her to the negative character that she played in 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.”
Later, Mandira appeared in many popular television serials including Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin (2003).
Mandira Bedi in the serial Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahin
She earned accolades for her performance in the Indian sitcom Sarabhai vs Sarabhai (2004-2006). 
Mandira in the serial Sarabhai vs SarabhaiIn 2013, she hosted the popular Indian singing reality show Indian Idol Junior.
Mandira Bedi on Indian Idol Junior
In 2019, Mandira made her digital debut with the MX Player web series Thinkistan in which she played the role of Anushka Shroff.
Mandira Bedi in the Web series Thinkistan
Fashion Designer
In 2014, Mandira Bedi ventured into fashion designing when she launched her saree collection during the Lakme Fashion Week.
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 had Mandira Bedi on their minds, as she 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 ICC Men’s Champions Trophy. In 2006, she hosted the Indian Premier League season 2 on 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
- Mandira Bedi was brutally trolled by her haters for adopting a poor baby girl in 2020 for which she received toxic comments on social media. In an interview, Mandira said 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
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- 2014: Nominee on Indian Telly Award as Best Actress – Critics 24 (2013)
- 2003: Nominee Indian Telly Award Best Actress in a Negative Role in Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi (2000)
Favourite Things
- Food: Chinese food, chocolates, khus-khus salad and mushroom cappuccino, and paneer Makhan Wala
- Film: Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge
- Restaurant: China Gate in Bandra, Mumbai, India
Facts/Trivia
- She also goes by the name Mandy.
- Mandira Bedi follows a vegetarian diet.
- Mandira Bedi is considered to introduce glamour to cricket when she started hosting cricket-related events.
Mandira posing on the cricket playground while working as a cricket host
- In 2006, Mandira Bedi won the Indian reality show 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
- Mandira Bedi has also appeared in many popular TV commercials.
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 that she was returning to television. She said,
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 an interview, in 2019, Mandira unfolded a fact related to her life that she had a feeling of insecurity when she was in her 30s, but in her 40s, she gradually started loving herself. 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
- 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.
- 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.
Mandira Bedi performed the last rites of her husband, Raj Kaushal
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education