Mandira Bedi in a new avataar
by Meenakshi Shankar
May 12, 2008, Mumbai

Sans her noodle strap blouses, Mandira Bedi's bang in a brand new avataar - dancing to crazy tunes with the kids, shaking her hips and digging her nose! And in the end, of course going, 'ooh, aah and ouch!' and jocularly reminding us that she's not 11 years anymore!

And the credit for her new avataar goes to kids' channel Nick, which has planned something big to keep children from running amock this summer. Yes, this year marks the comeback of the Nick Fundoo Superstar Contest where children all over will be given the opportunity to shoot to super-stardom in a music video starring Mandira Bedi and Nick toons.

So this summer, it's time for their biggest promotion Cadbury's Bournvita presents 'Nick Fundoo Superstar'. Along with Mandira, the Nick toons — SpongeBob SquarePants, Ninja Hattori and Perman — will share the same frame as the kids. The song will be a remixed version of Mauja Hi Mauja and will be choreographed by veteran Saroj Khan. The best part about the contest is that the kids don't have to go through any auditions, tests or jury.

All they got to do is to be their 'fundoo' selves to participate in the contest...which in Nick's lingo would mean tune in to Nick, answer the question of the hour and voila, you may be selected as the next big superstar to grace kiddie world. Four kids with maximum points get a chance to star in a music video and become famous. But others shouldn't lose heart 'cos there's much more too! Hundreds of other kids can win cycles, mobile phones, etc daily all through summer. Now that is what we call super fundoo!

Season I saw Mona Singh as the Pied Piper, but this year, it’s our vivacious Mandira. And, Nick could'nt have roped in a better brand ambassador. Mandy's known to be a powerhouse of energy and she brings in joy and masti in whatever she does. And going by the promos which are airing in our multiplexes and telly tubes, you couldn't but agree with us. And she's super excited in her brand new role. Though, she does say, "The children are rock stars. I could not groove the way they do, without crying out my ooh's and ouch's!"

As excited as the children, she is a fan of Sponge Bob. And of course, she says, "How can you miss Tom and Jerry, the ideal stress buster!" Commenting on her move away from her cricketing ground, she says, "I've never stuck to one genre.