Kunal Deshmukh’s Jannat was a hit for you. The two of you have again paired up for Tum Mile…

Kunal had told me about Tum Mile before Jannat happened but the finances for the project were not approved then. Hence, we had to shelve it for a while. After the completion of Jannat, the money came in. There was no looking back and we completed the project. I was moved by the concept right from the beginning as it revolved around a true romantic story against the backdrop of the Mumbai floods that took place in July 2005.

How different is this project going to be from your other romantic flicks?

It is very real and does not have filmy dialogues. I have seen to it that there are no hot kissing scenes and the romance seems to be very natural. I play the role of a guy next door who goes to college, works in a firm and falls in love with his dream girl.

Considering the movie revolves around floods, what effects were used to make it look realistic?

The shooting of the floods lasted for one whole month. The shoot was not done in a studio but in an unused scrap-metal factory in Mulund. For the first few days the water was ankle-deep and very soon it was raised waist level to give it a realistic feel.

Share an interesting anecdote during your shoot.

We used to wade through the water continuously for an hour at times. In spite of taking vaccination and getting the water recycled in intervals, both Soha (Ali Khan) and I were affected. While I suffered an eye injury and broken finger, Soha got a skin infection.

How was it working with Soha Ali Khan?

She has no frills and is very down-to-earth. Hence, it was very easy to work with her. I haven’t seen any of her movies but she was brilliant in Tum Mile.

Your next film also revolves around Mumbai – Once Upon a Time in Mumbai.

It is a cult film based on the underworld. The movie has a totally different energy level and it is more character-based. Along with me, there is Ajay Devgan, Kangana Ranaut and Prachi Desai.

There is a buzz that with several recent hits, Emraan has hiked up his fee and has started charging about Rs.15 crore.

I would not like to comment on that but, yes, unlike my contemporaries I don’t pressurise or burden my producers by charging exorbitant amounts. I am very fair when it comes to my fees – I charge an amount, put in a lot of hard work, the movie releases and it becomes a hit.

Kolkata giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan are both interested in the lanky forward, who has been the highest scorer in the I-League for three years running. The two clubs are ready to offer him a crore for his services. However, it is learnt that Odafe may well stay back at Churchill for Rs. 1.10 crore.

Former Asean Cup winner East Bengal, who had their worst season in over two decades, failing to win a single trophy, are doing all the early running and have also approached Dempo’s talismanic midfielder Beto with an offer of Rs. 75 lakh. They have already secured the services of former India under-19 and Sporting Clube de Goa midfielder Harmanjot Singh Khabra for close to Rs. 15 lakh, paying more than double his current salary.

Although there’s been no change in East Bengal’s Rs. five crore budget for the upcoming season, the Kolkata giants have approached more than a dozen players so far and are ready to smash transfer records for at least two foreign players.

“We will go for utility players and not mere big names. A few of the non-performing assets may be released or asked to go for a pay cut,” coach Subhash Bhowmick says. “We plan to sign only three or four Indian internationals keeping the federation’s policy in mind.”

The AIFF had earlier announced an ambitious project to take all national players on its rolls in preparation for the 2011 Asian Cup. However, financial constrains may put hold to that plan. But national team players are expected to miss most of the season.

East Bengal at present has six internationals and the likes of Surkumar Singh, Subrata Paul and Sunil Chetri are all set to get the boot. Chetri, who is trying to net a deal in Europe, also has a substantial offer from Dempo.

Another Churchill Brothers’ foreign import, Ogba Kalu, is also set for a huge gain in his monthly salary from Rs. 1.75 lakh to roughly Rs. five lakh should he opt for a transfer to either Mohun Bagan, Mumbai FC or Mahindra United.

“We will ideally retain most of our players from last season. They won three titles for us and also came second in the national league,” Mohun Bagan secretary Anjan Mitra says. “We may have a spot open for the third foreigner’s slot. All our players can expect to be rewarded for their performance.”

Talisman Jose Ramirez Barreto and skipper Baichung Bhutia are expected to be the biggest gainers, with the Brazilian reported to have been offered a little over a crore. With the I-League now extended to accommodate 14 teams from next season – the highest number since its inception in 1996 — players are more in demand than ever before.

Middle-rank players yet to break into the national team are also playing hardball. Churchill winger Naoba Singh has threatened to quit if his demand for a Rs. 30 lakh contract is not met and Robert Lalthamba has settled for Rs. 20 lakh, a steep jump from Rs. 11 lakh last year.

“There’s no recession in Indian football. Every player of any repute is demanding nothing less than Rs. 20 lakh,” an official from Goa summarises.

The footballers are still lagging far behind their cricketing counterparts; a Mashrafe Mortaza is earning Rs. 21 lakh for each game with the Kolkata Knight Riders, though he is yet to take the field in five outings.

That’s not all. He’s running it to fulfil a dead friend’s wish, an ardent fan of Hitler and even wrote a book on him that was published in 2005.

R. Mohan (40), the name-plate maker, hawks on the sidewalk of Binny Road near Taj Connemara in Anna Salai. One can’t miss his pavement shop beaming the portrait of Adolf Hitler and some of his quotes from the autobiography Mein Kampf (My Struggle).

“The shop was owned by my long time buddy Mohammed Alees who was a die-hard fan of Adolf Hitler. Before he death due to cancer last April, he handed over the shop to me. I decided to go ahead with the same name and Nazi party symbol for the shop in memory of Alees even though he gave me an option to change it,” he says.

Mohammed Alees ran Golden Eagle Plastic Works for over two decades before the Corporation authorities evicted the pavement shop three years ago. Neighbouring hawkers remember Alees as a bold man who often spoke proudly of Hitler.

Veterinarians recommend neutering in male dogs to reduce aggressiveness towards other dogs and to prevent prostate gland enlargement, perineal hernias and testicular cancers. While this has health benefits, it does not affect other behaviour such as playfulness or affection. For puppies, neutering is done between 4-6 months of age.

Birth control for female cats and dogs has the crucial benefit of population control. This startling statistic is courtesy the Humane Society of United States (hsus.org) – a female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years.

Anuradha Sawhney, Chief Functionary of PETA India says that the single most important thing that we can do to save animals from all the suffering and death that their overpopulation causes is to spay and neuter them. “Every single stray cat, every neglected dog came from an animal that wasn’t spayed or neutered.

While animals are dying for lack of good homes, there’s no excuse for allowing our dogs and cats to even have ‘just one litter’. Sterilization is an important and routine procedure that helps reduce the dog overpopulation problem and sterilized dogs are less likely to bite as hormones no longer play a role in their moods”.

While efforts are on to campaign for government-funded animal birth control projects, individuals can play a key role by doing this for their own pets. Saving lives is as simple as ABC.

According to police sources, Younis Khan, the owner of Kalandar Madeena Textiles on M.C. Road, Washermenpet, went missing on Friday afternoon after he left home for a mosque nearby for prayers. His father Kalandar Nainar Mohammed and family searched for Khan but in vain.

Meanwhile, around 7.00 p.m. Mohammed received a phone call from an anonymous person who claimed to have kidnapped Khan and demanded a ransom amount of Rs 1.5 crore for Younis’ release. “The victim’s father had pleaded for his son’s release after promising the culprits a sum of Rs. 90 lakh.

The culprits agreed and told him that they would tell him where to deliver the amount,” said an investigating officer. The caller was Moideen (25) of Washermanpet, who was a former employee of Younis Khan. He had plotted the kidnap plan along with his brother Latif (23) and his aide Chakravarty (29) from Cuddalore.

The trio had sought the help of autorickshaw driver Santosh Kumar, who according to polices sources had decided that a secluded location near the High Court premises would be a safer venue to receive the money, as there wouldn’t be any cops in the area.

On Saturday night, Mohammed had given the kidnappers the promised Rs. 90 lakh and his son returned home the next day. “Younis was taken to Cuddalore in a call taxi after being kidnapped and kept in a room and tortured. He was brought back to a house in Parrys Corner before being released,” the officer added.

After the incident, Mohammed’s relatives contacted the city police and reported the kidnapping incident. An investigation that followed led to the arrest of the three culprits from various places in the city on Monday night itself.

Upon interrogations it was discovered that Moideen and Latif had launched a mobile phone store earlier, but the venture proved unsuccessful.

Later, in order to make quick money and settle overseas, the two hatched the kidnap plan along with aides. Moideen, Latif and Chakravarty were remanded to custody and sent to Puzhal Prison. Santosh Kumar’s role is still under investigation.

According to Lakme, the treatment is designed keeping in mind the desire of modern women’s indulgence in luxury and bliss. Free Spirit combines the refreshing feel of rose and jasmine (for oily skin) extracts with the rejuvenating effects of special massages.

“The essence of the flowers works on the limbic system of the brain, thus conjuring positive feelings and balancing the emotional and physical aspects of an individual.” says Narthaki S, Skin Trainer, Lakme Beauty Salon.

This Free Spirit service soothes the senses. All you have to do is lie down on a cushion bed and you will be close to asleep for the next two hours. The beautician takes over the charge of making you feel rejuvenated throughout the treatment and at the end you feel relaxed and fresh.

It begins with the cleansing stage to remove dirt and makeup. Toning removes residue of cleanser and makeup. This is followed by steaming, which dilates pores, softens blackheads and deep-cleanses the skin. A floral moulding mask comprising aloe vera and rose water is applied on your face, lending it a tightening effect.

Your face, neck, shoulders and back are massaged using rose exotica cream, giving emphasis to acupressure points. Lavender water is mixed in cold and warm water separately and this solution is again mixed with poultices with rose petals. The aroma of roses balances out the skin.

During this, the scalp massage with oil de-stresses and improves circulation, thereby promoting hair growth. Applying sunscreen and shampoo wash is the final stage for the face and hair respectively.

The treatment doesn’t end here. This is followed by a hand and foot ‘facial’. “This facial uses products made of floral extractions, which provide essential oils to the hands and feet, leaving them relaxed and rejuvenated.” says Narthaki.

Lakme uses natural products like rose petals, almond scrub, rose exotica cream, milk, lavender water and grape juice, to name some. This is for dry skin. In case of oily skin, jasmine and tulsi are used instead of rose.

Sona’s at Kasi Arcade is 15 years old. And it’s the centre of activity when we visit it on a rather dull weekday afternoon. This salwar suit specialist is a good pace to head to if one is looking for some ornate ethnic wear. Read sequinned and embroidered sarees and salwar/churidar sets, kurtis, anarkalis, fabric, etc.

The store even has a separate section for larger sizes. “We’ve had the section since day one,” says Kishore Lakhilal Mirpuri of the store. Rather ahead of its times, one might say, considering plus-sized clothing became popular only five years ago. “We stock clothes size-wise; no free size concept here,” he adds.

Favourite Shop in Pondy Bazaar, well-known for its discounted clothing, is a sister concern of Sona’s. At Sona’s, there are zari sarees with net dupattas, contemporary brasso sarees and those in chiffon and georgette, to mention a few. In the salwar section, the anarkalis, especially, stand out.

In one corner of the store is the store’s own tailoring unit – Sona’s also undertakes tailoring for dress materials purchased at the store. One can even pick designs from the catalogues available here. “Service is our USP,” says Mirpuri.

Address: Sona’s, No. 18, Kasi Arcade, T. Nagar, Chennai – 600 017, Ph: 42023731, Store timings: 10 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. daily.