Mandira Bedi started her journey in the entertainment industry 30 years ago with the long-running television serial Shanti. The actress went on to feature in several other daily soaps following the success of her first show. She also became a very popular host, and while she really enjoyed that space, Mandira tells us that she missed out on a lot of acting opportunities.

She says, “After nine years of acting in TV shows, I thought of taking a sabbatical in 2003, but coincidentally, the Cricket World Cup was taking place that year and I got an opportunity to host that. It changed things for me. It was nice to break the glass ceiling, but after that nobody saw me as an actor anymore, people only saw me as a host.”

The actress, who was seen in 24 with Anil Kapoor in which she played the role of a cop, says that she still longs to act. “If there’s one thing that I’m really missing, it’s acting. After doing the web show The Railway Men, I realized how much I missed being in front of the camera. People offer me roles to play a cricket presenter or a news anchor, but I turn them down. I want to do a good role, I miss acting. It’s like people have completely forgotten that I’m an actor.”

The actress has been through a lot on her personal and professional journey all these years. However, she is deeply grateful for everything that she has. “I wake up every morning and say thank you. Gratitude inspires me and keeps me positive. I’ve seen a lot of ups and downs in life. A lot hasn’t gone my way, but focusing on that can take you into a downward spiral. I just focus on the positives,” she says.