'I am a host in IPL who connects viewers to experts' - Shiv Pandit

Shiv Pandit can easily be called the 'Mandira Bedi' of IPL. Pardon the analogy, but his effective and stylish anchoring in the ongoing IPL seems to have left a great mark with the viewers. And the girls seem to finally have a reason to drool over television sets during cricket matches, like the guys did when Mandi used to host matches!

So was he always interested in cricket, or did the glamour and money bring him closer to the game? "I have always been interested in cricket and have been following the game closely since my childhood. However, that doesn't mean I am a cricketing expert. I am a cricket fan!", says the handsome model.

But isn't a thorough knowledge of the game required to host such shows? "Not really. You will need to understand my role first. I am not a technical expert in the show. I am just a host who is connecting the viewers to the experts. And I feel, with my cricketing knowledge, I can execute this role very well," says Shiv who has been a radio jockey with a popular FM channel for more than two years. "That is where I really learned the ropes of hosting shows and keeping people engrossed. Plus, I could meet so many people there -- it was a great experience working as a radio jockey," says the former student of English literature in Delhi University.

Shiv dabbled into theatre for some time and worked with Vivek before moving to Mumbai. "I was part of a group called Scene Stealers and did many shows with them," quips Shiv. Once he became popular as a RJ, he didn't have to look back. "Offers for ad films started pouring in and luckily almost all the ads I did (Sprite, Colgate, LG, Tide, Airtel) were huge hits. Advertisements made me a known face," says Shiv.

Shiv has been recently signed up by Ravi Chandran for a big-budget Tamil movie. Actress Mansi Parekh has been cast opposite him.

Reporter and Author: Srabanti Chakrabarti