Being a mother has changed Mandira Bedi for life

Anchor feels she connects with children a little differently now.

NEW DELHI:

The hot and sexy TV show host and actor Mandira Bedi wasn’t always a child lover; a cranky baby on a flight would leave her fuming. But things seemed to have turned around for this style diva. Ever since she gave birth to her own little baby, her entire outlook has changed. She is all about kids now!

In fact, being a mother has helped her in her first association with a children’s reality show, Indian Idol Junior. She is co-hosting the upcoming edition of the music reality show which will feature kids aged between five and 15.

Mandira has hosted a series of reality shows and live events in the past. “The greatest experience for me, in Indian Idol Junior, is that I am a mother now,” said Mandira, who gave birth to a son in 2011. “I’m not talking about the anchoring experience. Now that I’m a mother, I connect with children a little differently.”

“A couple of years ago, if I was in a flight, and there would be a yelling baby, I would get disturbed and upset by it,” the 41-year-old continued. “Now if I am in such a situation, I’d go to the mother and ask, ‘Do you want to eat your meal? Do you want me to hold the baby, so you can go to the bathroom’?”

The actor, who is married to film-maker Raj Kaushal, is a traveler and is always on the move.

“I travel so much with my baby and I know it’s hard. My whole nazariya [outlook] has changed towards babies and children. Not that I ever disliked them, but your relationship with children changes forever once you become a mom.”

Mandira, who will co-host the reality show along with Karan Wahi, says she also hopes to learn a thing or two about parenting from the show.

“You can learn from any and every mother around you. There are a few parents who are very indulgent and there are some, who are living their own dreams through their children, and that’s not the right route,” she said.

“On Indian Idol Junior, we are promoting ‘Singing masti hai, zabardasti nahin’ [Singing is fun, not a compulsion]. There shouldn’t be anything that children are pushed for.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th, 2013.

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