Mandira Heightens World Cup Fever


Editor's Note: It was unfortunate that Sony and not ESPN/STAR who got the TV rights of Cricket World Cup. They had roped in Ruby Bhatia for ICC Cup who at least stuck to non-cricket matters. But this time it is actress Mandira Bedi, who is an anchor-person along with the erudite Charu Sharma in their pre and post-match analysis called 'Extraa Innings'.
This write-up is from Hindustan Times.


NEWS OF THE WEEK: Mandira of ‘Extraa Innings’ fame or notoriety, depending on the way you look at it has actually started putting on clothes. On Tuesday, believe it or not, she was in a polo neck sweater, full sleeves too. But let us not jump to conclusions. This is being written on the morning of the India-England clash, and she usually wears no blouse or off- the-shoulder ones in a wedding-style sari and imitation diamonds for Indian matches. Let’s see. As one young man in Delhi aptly said, when told that Sony Max says she is there to attract women viewers, he said "No, she is to titillate the old men." Amen.

This is about how Ms Bedi's wardrobe  could have a  mind-boggling impact on market trends and viewer ratings.

As World Cup fever mounts to dizzying heights, what’s the question on everyone’s lips? No, not whether India on Australia will lift the Cup, but --- what Mandira Bedi is going to wear next! From slender spaghetti straps to demure turtlenecks, this mostly television actress has cricket watchers mesmerized . A tabloid has even started a column called ‘Mandira. Watch’ featuring a daily report of Mandira’s attire.

But wait, that is only from men. Sony is actually worried that women are going away from TV. In all the excitement over India trouncing Pakistan to win the "final within the final'' and bag the "Sub-continent World Cup'' on Saturday night, this cricket-crazy nation missed a silly point: Ms Bedi actually changed her dress code.

The world's first sex goddess of cricket has started clothing herself…well, a bit... more appropriately. Not just that. She giggles less. She has even stopped biting her lips each time she gives a come-hither smile. All this has got  more to do with market, actually, than with the flak over hip and hep.

A top-secret market study by Sony Max revealed that women -- whom the channel allegedly targeted by showcasing Mandira -- stopped watching after two matches.

Worse, many women switched off TV sets during matches:  they didn't want their husbands to watch Mandira in her sleeveless splendour with the excuse of watching cricket. Some women have permanently banned husbands from watching Sony Max, along with Fashion-TV and MTV.

Deep Throat, my unimpeachable source on what goes on in this country  --and what doesn't-- gives an exclusive account of two strategy meetings that Sony Max top brass had, one before and one after Ms Bedi's makeover.

Delhi, February 2
A week before World Cup
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"We will demolish the myth that cricket is a men's game,'' Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta said. "Yep," Executive Vice President Rajat Jain added.

Kapil Dev, the channel's brand ambassador, grimaced.  "How?" he asked.

Kunal and Rajat chorused:  "Meet Mandira Bedi."

Kapil looked at her. "Good grief and Holy googly!!" he thought. He had never seen an outfit like that before. Is she wearing a sari without a choli? He wondered.  No, she is wearing a choli! But he couldn't quite see one sleeve. He quickly turned his gaze and began staring at the ceiling.

Anshuman Gaekwad, who signed up for expert analysis, said: "Well, it might be unnecessary. In any case, everybody will watch your channel because you have the exclusive rights."

"Oh no!" Kunal said. Rajat added: "It's only the men who watch. Sponsors want women also to watch because they too buy their products."

"Mandira, show them how you will SPONTANEOUSLY react on the channel LIVE when Tenduklar hits a boundary," Rajat told her.

Mandira adjusted her hair, touched up her lips, picked up a mike, looked at Kapil, Gaekwad and screamed: "Wow! Gee! Maa…rrr..velous! What a glorious four the lovable Tendu has hit!'' She smiled and bit her lips…

Kapil and Gaekwad gaped at her.

"And now," Rajat continued,  "this is how Mandira will SPONTANEOUSLY react LIVE when Sachin hits a six."

Mandira adjusted her hair, touched up her lips, picked up the mike, looked at Kapil, Gaekwad and shrieked louder than before: "Wow! Gee! Oh Boy! Dum maro dum! Man! You adorable Sachin, what a beauty it was. Hmm...'' She screamed: ``Common India, Karlo dunia muttii mee...'' She blew a kiss in Kapil's direction, smiled and bit her lips.


Johannesburg, March 1
Before India-Pakistan match
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"I am getting negative reports from India about our cricket coverage,'' Kunal groaned.

"Aren't more women watching your show, I mean, cricket?" Kapil asked.

"It didn't quite happen like that," Kunal and Rajat said.

Kunal: "We secretly surveyed 3,658 women in 12 cites. 1, 932 stopped watching after two matches. The remaining 1726 women switched off television sets during matches. They didn't want their husbands to watch Mandira. And 431 of them banned their husbands from watching Sony Max along with FTV and MTV.''

Rajat: "This is not quite what the sponsors wanted."

Gaekwad: "So what do you do?"

Rajat: "Mandira will wear more appropriate clothes and less make-up. She will giggle less. She will stop saying `Oh Boy!'. She will stop biting her lips each time she smiles and speaks. And she will speak less.''

POSTSCRIPT

After England lost to Australia on Sunday night, she dropped a pearl of wisdom that shocked even co-anchor Charu Sharma:  ``England must be upset. After all, they invented cricket!'' Hadn't Ms Bedi said she would be just ``herself'' on TV? Another Sony Max meeting?



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