I never leave my son behind when I go to work - Mandira Bedi

Motherhood has been an enriching experience for the beautiful Mandira Bedi. The birth of her baby boy Vir almost two years ago has made her love kids all the more. No wonder she is thoroughly enjoying the experience of anchoring Sony Entertainment Television’s Indian Idol Junior (Miditech Pvt Ltd). Mandira avers that hosting a music competition for kids is indeed a challenge. She goes on to explain, “It is very difficult to tell children, ‘Sorry, better luck next time.’ Having said that it is amazing how maturely these children have accepted rejection. In fact adults can learn them. We have said no to more people than yes through which we are down to the top ten from hundreds and thousands of candidates. We have got to see amazing talent and kids with great values and discipline. There was a brother and sister combination in which the brother made it but the sister didn’t. When the result was announced the boy who had been rejected came out smiling.” Mandira is awed with the fine parenting skills of some of the parents too. Citing the example of a parent she says, “I went up to a mother and told her that I wished to be a mother like her.” She is full of praise for her co-star Karan Wahi. “He interacts very well with the kids. They love him too. Like me, he has hosted many reality shows too.” Has she had creative differences with Karan? “Yes but we didn’t take much time to find a middle ground. We easily found our space together as anchors.” Her almost two year stint as a mother has helped her to relate better to the kids on Indian Idol Junior. “Through anchoring you get to know so much about human nature and people. My son is three years old. When I see a child of the same age on my show, I ask him or her to give mamma a kiss, though I am not his or her mother. I chose this project because I relate to kids differently now. I always loved kids before but once you have had your own experience you love them all the more.” Indeed, Mandira is a supermom who juggles both work and child care. She takes her baby along with her. “I have taken him to Gwalior and Bangalore about four times, to Delhi about eleven times, to Kolkata thrice and to Goa about five or six times. He has been abroad too to the U.S, London, Hong Kong and Singapore. I never leave my son behind when I go to work. He, me and his nanny travel together as a team. I do not take a makeup artiste along.” Mandira had presented the coverage of the 2010 Indian Premier League (season 3). What is her current take on the IPL and the recent match fixing scandals? “I think the IPL is a very strong property and a big brand which is here to stay. There have been things in the past which have been bad as well. The IPL has been on the verge of falling apart, but ultimately didn’t. Teams have come and gone. The scrapped teams have shown up again.” She goes on to say the obvious that she loves cricket. “I do miss the game. As I am doing Indian Idol Junior this year, I do not have the time to find about it though. My connect with cricket is just too strong for it to be over. I get calls from leading news channels daily saying that they want me on at 9pm. When it comes to cricket people think of me.” When asked about her forthcoming filmmaking ventures she says, “I am doing a film titled Oh Teri with Atul Agnihotri’s company. It is a political satire which is based on someone you know. You will know who it is when you see it.” On a parting note, we asked her what she watches on TV to discover that she prefers foreign shows to Indian shows. “I like to watch MasterChef Australia, Modern Family and Suits.” We wish this amazing mom and popular TV star all the best in whatever she does.