Crushed cotton. Smooth chiffon. Frilled crepe. The colour red. Embellished with the glitter of gold.Red chiffon embroidered halter kurta. Kolkata designer, KIRAN UTTAM GHOSH cuts an eclectic collection for MANDIRA BEDI, turning the bubbly tele-personality into a glam style diva

[Gold backless gota choli with white crushed cotton skirt]	[Red crepe frilly skirt with deep pink T-shirt and red quilted belt]	[Black chiffon halter kurta with diamantés]

I’m so lucky that I don’t have any monotony in my job. In this industry, it’s so easy for boredom to set in. No week is the same for me. One day I’m shooting a film, the next day I’m dressing up for Verve, then playing cricket in Ludhiana! I really consider myself blessed.

I experienced the jump from being a nobody to a somebody when I started out with the tele-serial Shanti. I couldn’t walk on the streets without getting mobbed! But anchoring for The World Cup definitely changed my life. It helped shake off the whole Shanti image – I was still being recognised and addressed as her! Suddenly, people looked at me differently. Such attention can make you feel good, but it can also be scary, because fame is so transitory.

I know there were a lot of brickbats for everything. For my clothes to simply my being there, but in the end if you’re accepted, that’s what matters. I wasn’t expecting this response at all. At that point I was just praying for acceptance, hoping that no one got angry and that I blended in! Not many people get a second chance like I did – it was sort of like a rebirth for me.

Nothing I wore was outrageous. I couldn’t understand the big deal being made about my wardrobe. Instead of asexual jackets and ties, I wore pretty, feminine clothes. Firstly, people were not expecting a woman commentator and secondly, definitely not dressed the way I was. People went into an uproar about the ‘noodle’ straps – what the hell! If you compare it to all the television serials on today, what I wore was not really unusual.

My husband is the most supportive human being I have ever met. He had to face all the flak while I was in South Africa and he said ‘give her a break, she’s just a presenter!’ I have so much guilt because I travel so much, but Raj (Kaushal) stands by me and tells me to enjoy every minute. Without his love I don’t think I would have been able to do so much.

Sometimes I don’t believe in myself. It’s not insecurity, just an occasional bout of low self-esteem. I do a reality check every morning when I look in the mirror. I’m very aware of the way I look and my capabilities. I just keep counting my blessings and consider myself lucky to be here.