The Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni expects a new guest at home when he returns from the on-going IPL season. Zoya the 10 week old Weimaraner with whom he fell in love in Bangalore is all set to reach his home in Ranchi. Zoya will be the third in the line, as Dhoni already has two dogs at home.

The pup was offered by Xerxes Desai, former Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Titan Industries Ltd.

Commenting on the breed, Desai remarked, “Weimaraners are a special breed and not easily available in India. They are hunting dogs, originally from Germany, and were first exported to America in 1929 and to Great Britain after the Second World War. They are strong, athletic, fun-loving and sociable with very keen noses and ears.” Dhoni has been to Desai’s house “and played with Misty (Zoya’s mother). He is very fond of dogs.”

The starting price of a Weimaraner pup is placed at Rs. 25,000/-.

Bhavana Rao is back in business. After her successful debut film Gaalipata released 18 months ago, Bhavana was nowhere to be seen. Apparently, the actress was waiting for a worthwhile film to come her way and it seems she has now found such a film.

“It’s a Tamil film titled Kola Kolaya Munthirikka opposite Karthik, who played second lead to Dhanush in Yaradi Nee Mohini and has also done Mani Ratnam’s Yuva and Alai Payuthey,” says Bhavana Rao. She says that she did not get many offers from Kannada and thus selected a Tamil film. “My first priority has always been Kannada films. But in spite of having a hit film to my credit, I didn’t get any good offers. It was frustrating after some time and I felt let down because my talent wasn’t being appreciated. But rather than doing just any film and delivering a flop, I preferred to wait for the right offer,” says Bhavana.

Incidentally, the two Kannada films that she signed failed to take off. She acted in Gagana Chukki for a day and in Holidays for a week. The producers of both the films are facing some problems and Bhavana has no idea what they will do next. Anyway, the lovely actress is off to Chennai to make a mark in Tamil.