Daily soaps are like a factory: Mandira Bedi

Actress-designer Mandira Bedi is still loved by many for essaying a strong-willed woman in the 1990s popular TV drama "Shanti - Ek Aurat Ki Kahani". But she says she doesn't see herself acting in a daily soap again as it is like a factory.

The actress, who featured in the hit finite series "24" last year and also participated in the reality show "I Can Do That", hasn't completely turned away from the small screen. Will we see her in daily soaps again?

"I don't see myself acting in a daily soap because that is like a factory. You need to give 25 days in a month which I do not have. With my store, saris and events that I do... if I do something, it will be finite," Mandira told IANS at the Van Heusen GQ Fashion Nights 2015 here earlier this month.

What about movies?

"There is nothing at the moment because people don't know what to do with me in a movie. I get offered an item number one day and bhabhi's (sister-in-law) role the other day, and then somebody's sister the next day. So people don't really know what to do with me," said the 43-year-old, who is the face of 92.7 BG FM's "Dabur Honitus BIG Junior RJ Season 3".

The audience will have to wait to see her on the big screen as the "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge" actress says she won't don the greasepaint unless she gets "a role that excites" her and one that she wants to give her time to.

"I have a four-year-old son too. I can play a bhabhi, mother or daughter, but a role that matters. I want a pivotal role even if that means that I have five scenes in a film."

As for the fashion world, she has big plans. Mandira, who ventured into fashion designing in 2013, hopes to move beyond saris some day. Any plans of creating a line for men?

"I love saris. I also need to move to the other women silhouettes before I do men's wear. I never say never for anything. I would love to be a designer that goes 360 degree... that covers women's wear, Indian and western, and men's wear, but eventually," she said.

"Currently, I am doing saris. I would like to venture into spaces that I am comfortable wearing... like gowns. May be that will be the next step. I do wear crop tops with skirts too. What I will venture into next, only time will tell," added the artiste, who has also tried her hand at anchoring.

The untrained designer believes in knowing how a certain garment falls on her body, before she creates them.

"I wear jeans, T-shirts, saris and evening wear like dresses and gowns. I don't wear too many anarkalis. I need to know them, I need to wear them. That's how I got into saris in the first place. I am not a trained designer; so I need to know how they fall on my body before I go into designing them," she said.

"I aim to do one fashion week every year. Hopefully, Lakme Fashion Week. I would like to do a fashion week in Delhi too," she signed off.

(Natalia N can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)