Popular TV actress and presenter Mandira Bedi hits a six in her new movie, Meerabhai Not Out where she plays a cricket-obsessed Maths teacher looking for love. It’s a clever bit of casting for the Shanti star who is well known for her acting as for being the TV host for cricket’s world cups from the 1990s. She makes the most of her opportunity, stealing the show with her quirky and captivating character in the movie.
Mandira has had one or two run-ins with authority over the years having once been accused under the controversial Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act because she wore a sari showing the flags of the nations in the world cup with the Indian flag at the bottom close to her feet. In addition, she once shocked the influential Sikh organisation SGPC when it was discovered she had a tattoo of the Ik Onkar on her back.
Mandira was quite upset by the court cases she had to face and also by India’s poor performance in the last world cup as she really is a fan. Recently, she has turned to pottery to release her stress and to cure her depression. “I wanted to be completely involved,” she says, “I wanted to enjoy the process of creating something out of nothing. It is a magical experience, creating something with my own hands. I thoroughly love the process, especially putting pieces through the glaze-fire technique.”
