Foster?s Home For Imaginary Friends: New toon on the beamMandira Bedi: By demand

n There?s no stopping Mandira Bedi from invading homes and hearts. Dial One Aur Jeeto, the interactive game show anchored by her on Sahara One, Monday to Thursday at 8.30 pm, has become an instant hit.

?Viewers are flooding me with responses,? chirped the hostess. The simple format entails the viewer dialling a number, 39700401, after which Mandira fires three tough posers. With every correct answer, the participant gets prizes, ranging from household appliances to holiday packages. But an incorrect answer immediately eliminates the contestant from the game. What?s more, an incorrect answer to the third poser forces the caller to let go of the prizes collected for the first two. The caller can also decide to let the third poser pass and go home with the goodies won in the rounds before.

The caller can access help from friends and family, the Internet or books but all within 10 seconds only. The quiz questions touch upon current affairs and entertainment trivia.

Piloted on Valentine?s Day, the second episode of the show pulled in 10 lakh callers, say Sahara One sources, and the numbers are just piling up. ?It only shows TRPs are not everything. It?s people?s verdict that counts,? said cricket?s first lady.

n For fans of the Powerpuff girls out there, here is some news. Craig McCracken, the creator of the Emmy award-winning series, presents a new world of whimsical fun and adventure, which premiered in India on March 7. Foster?s Home for Imaginary Friends is McCracken?s follow-up to Cartoon Network?s most successful animated project, The Powerpuff Girls.

It is a character-based comedy that talks about the wonderful bond of friendship. Foster?s Home... is a Victorian mansion that serves as a haven for imaginary friends. The eccentric Madame Foster is the matriarch of the home. The Foster?s series revolves around Mac, an eight-year-old shy boy who always has his imaginary friend, Blooregard Q. Kazoo, by his side. Trouble begins when Mac?s mom tells him that he?s too old for an imaginary friend and Mac is forced to give Kazoo up.

When quizzed about the rationale behind creating the character of an imaginary friend, McCracken has stated: ?I asked myself the reasons a kid would create an imaginary friend?and I learnt that they would create a friend who would be a protector, a companion to hang out with, a friend out of loneliness or a scapegoat to blame everything on.?

Those in search of a buddy and some fun, can watch Cartoon Network, Monday to Friday, 6 pm.

n With Pakistan?s historical tour to India finally underway at Mohali, cricket fever is back at its feverish best in the country. Lending a voice to the cricket lover, STAR News has launched Match Ke Mujrim, a series of public debates across the country hosted by the erstwhile sultans of the game.

Held in nine cities across India, the forum will include prominent cricket personalities speaking alongside the fans. The questions will be fielded by former great Zaheer Abbas who will be the Pakistan team?s defendant while Arun Lal and Anshuman Gaikwad will pad up for the Indian side.

Former captain Bishen Singh Bedi will be the public prosecutor and will moderate the proceedings of every trial. These debates will be held at popular heritage and cricketing venues across the cities. The hour-long debates will be held live at 9 pm after every Test match and ODI.