Actor and television personality Mandira Bedi, one of the first female faces of cricket broadcasting in India, is still basking in the joy of India’s historic cricket Women’s World Cup victory. “I can’t get over the win,” she smiles, calling it a culmination of decades of grit and growth.

“To just 20-25 people in the stadiums for their tournaments all these years to a full house at D Y Patil Stadium, after a comprehensive defeat against Australia and then South Africa, the Indian women’s cricket team has come a long way,” she says. “I feel so proud and joyful to see them setting milestones for women’s sport in the country.”

Mandira admits the magnitude of the achievement is still sinking in. “The feeling is settling slowly,” she says. “Seeing them everywhere, getting the recognition they truly deserve, becoming household names, and receiving the rewards they’ve earned, it’s heartwarming.”

The victory has also brought back stories of Mandira’s early support for women’s cricket in the 2000s. Between 2003 and 2005, she had quietly contributed funds to help the team when they struggled for resources. “This news has made me a bit embarrassed because it’s two decades old,” she confesses. “The team needed help at that time, and I just did what I could with whatever funds I had,” she adds.

She recalls lobbying for better infrastructure and support: “I remember meeting Jagmohan Dalmiya, the then BCCI chief, and discussing the merger of WCA and BCCI. Back then, the players didn’t even have money to host tournaments or travel for matches. I didn’t think, I just acted.”

Mandira says her contribution stayed out of the news for a reason: “It was never done for publicity. Sadly, no one was interested in women’s cricket back then; it didn’t even get a two-by-two space in newspapers.”

Now that the story has resurfaced, she believes it’s time to celebrate the team’s journey properly: “Someone should write a book or make a documentary on this incredible rise of women’s cricket in India. People finally want to know their story, and that can only strengthen the future of the game.”

Having recently interacted with members of the winning squad, Mandira says she remains a fan first. “My work keeps me connected with the players. I recently met Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shafali Verma, and I’ll be meeting them again soon,” she shares, adding, “I can’t wait to tell Harmanpreet Kaur that she’s the lady version of M S Dhoni, or better still, her own brand of calm and cool.”

Hot on the heels of Shah Rukh Khan’s birthday, another heartthrob turned 60 — Milind Soman. The ever-inspiring fitness icon and runner celebrated the milestone amidst the serene beauty of the Maldives. Speaking to Bombay Times , he reflected on what it means to turn 60.

Milind first completed Ironman at the age of 50 and returned to it a decade later at 60. He said, “The first time I did the Ironman at 50, it was a test of willpower. Ten years later, at 60, it became a celebration of balance — body, mind, discipline and consistency. I’ve realized age doesn’t slow you down; inconsistency and indiscipline do. Self-respect is respect for your body and mind, which will reward you in ways you can’t imagine. At 60, I feel stronger, lighter, and freer than I did at 30.”

Age is a number; energy is a choice, believes Milind. “Your body doesn’t decide how old you are — your attitude does. I’ve met 20-year-olds who are tired of life and 70-year-olds who wake up excited for a morning run. It’s not about stopping time; it’s about moving with purpose and joy,” he explains.

Fitness is more about feeling better than just looking better, says the model-actor turned runner. “Looking good is temporary. Feeling good is timeless. When you chase strength, peace, and health — confidence follows. People often say, ‘I’ll start when I’m ready.’ If you keep telling yourself that, you’ll never be ready. Whether you’re 20, 40, or 60 — the best time to start loving and celebrating your body is now” he says.

Shah Rukh Khan also turned 60 a few days ago, and neither look their age. Milind reasons, “I think 60 today looks very different because we’ve changed how we live. It’s no longer about counting years — it’s about creating experiences. Shah Rukh is redefining 60 by the things that give him joy, and I do the same. Find the thing that gives you joy — body, mind and spirit, and keep doing it, no matter what. If you wake up excited every day, 60 can feel like 40 — or even 25!”

He says, “Fitness for me, is freedom. The freedom to climb a mountain, swim across an ocean, run barefoot, or just breathe deeply without effort. Ironman and marathons are not the goal. My motivation has never been abs or medals — it’s the joy of knowing my body still does everything I ask of it. To me, that’s real success.”

“It’s incredible and inspiring! Whether it is cricket or triathlons or life, our women are redefining what strength and resilience look like. They’re proving that dreams don’t have gender, or age — only grit. This victory is not just for sport; it’s for every girl who believes she can."

On November 2, Team India scripted history as it emerged the champions of the ICC 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup. The win has already had a ripple effect in films. mid-day has learnt that Netflix India is facing pressure to release Chakda Xpress, the Jhulan Goswami-biopic led by Anushka Sharma. The biopic has been lying with Netflix for nearly three years, reportedly due to a fallout between the streamer and the production house, Clean Slate Filmz, led by Karnesh Ssharma.

After the Indian women’s cricket squad’s win, many social media users called for the film’s release. Some members of the movie’s team have also appealed to the platform. A source from the film’s core team tells mid-day, “We have personally written to top executives at Netflix India to see if they can rise above the conflict so that the film can see the light of day. A biopic on a legend like Jhulan di deserves to reach the audience.”

What exactly went wrong with director Prosit Roy’s biopic on the former captain? An insider, who worked on the film, shares, “The production house went over-budget. What added to the woes was that the platform heads didn’t like the way the project was shaping up. But it’s still a solid film.” Since the biopic’s shoot wrapped up in 2022, it has been caught in a deadlock.

Chakda Xpress’s rights currently rest with Netflix. Another source shares, “The recent victory has put the attention back on the biopic. Internal discussions at the streamer have started, and the team is expected to take a final pass this month to determine if it can be released after additional work.”

mid-day reached out to Roy and Ssharma. Both declined to comment.

At the recently concluded 2025 Women's Cricket World Cup on Sunday, the Indian team emerged as champions, and the celebrations at Navi Mumbai’s D Y Patil Stadium were electric. Adding to the excitement, singer Sunidhi Chauhan took the stage to sing the National Anthem and perform a medley of her popular hits.

The 42-year-old, whose performance featured a stunning special fireworks display, said the experience was incomparable: “Nothing can beat that platform. I was singing for the women of our country. Before I sang the National Anthem, I glanced over at the players and could see how charged they were. I had to hold back from bursting into tears, and thankfully kept strong throughout the performance. The stadium was packed, and seeing such a large crowd cheering for our girls made me emotional.”

Reflecting on her past experiences, she added, “I’ve had the opportunity to perform at matches like the men’s India vs Pakistan game earlier as well, but nothing can compare to this feeling. I can proudly say this one will go down in history.”

While the plan had to be tweaked because of the rain, Sunidhi is glad her performance went off without a glitch. She recalls, “The weather forecast kept us on our toes. Everything was on standby in case it started raining. I was supposed to interact with the players and commentators, which couldn’t happen, but I’m glad I saw our girls watching me perform in between the innings. The best part was that I got to interact with (cricketer) Sachin Tendulkar before the match, which was an impromptu moment.”

The singer couldn’t watch the winning moment in the stadium, but she managed to catch the win at home. “It was a close contest, and the win was a sigh of relief. I was ecstatic!” she ends.