Koena Mitra

Model, dancing star, actress and a dog lover…that’s what best describes Koena Mitra in one sentence. This beautiful damsel is smitten by pooch love…surrounded by eight of them… and with a room for more!
With a body to kill for, Koena danced her way to Bollywood and instantly set tinsel town on fire! Her early modeling assignments include big brands like Mirinda, Clinic All Clear and Maruti Alto. It was after winning the Gladrags Mega Model, 2002 title that she got a taste of limelight. She also shot music videos, like Stereo Nation’s Ishq, Channo by Jassi, among many. She has also acted in Bollywood movies like Musafir, Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena, Apna Sapna Money, Money, etc.
She also has a fetish for fast cars, especially SUVs, Bengali sea food, and pets! Yeah, that’s right, Koena loves her pets. Here’s more on her pooch love…
My first pet…
I come from a family of dog lovers and my first pet back home in Kolkata was Chickoo or Boomba, which was my special name for him. My relationship with him was just as they depict in the Hutch advertisement, he went everywhere with me. He was so loyal that if I were grounded in my room, he would be outside waiting for me to come out. In fact, my mother used to let me out, quicker thanks to Boomba. I was extremely naughty and often-subjected Boomba to all kinds of childhood pranks, but he would just bear with me and endured the endless games we played. One sad day, some crows attacked Boomba while he was on the terrace, and the wounds were so bad, that he did not make it. I missed him terribly, and my mother adopted another Lhasa Apso, sometime after Boomba passed away.
Remembering Boomba…
My mother is an artist and she would often make us little cards in which there would be an image of Boomba, just a little something to remember my loving brother and childhood friend.
My darlings at home…
I am currently the proud mother of eight little wonders and it’s quite a possibility that I will expand my family soon. Let me introduce you to each one of my kids starting with Missy – the Social Butterfly, Jiggy – the foodie and happiest Pekingese in this side of town. Then comes my Poodle Fluffy who is the tomboy of the family. My Toy Terrier, Sushi is a firebrand, and does not hesitate to remind you that she does not like being left out of any conversation that involves heaping compliments on my babies. There is also Cookie who is absolutely ladylike and is very communicative in nature. I must not forget Jerry and of course Bella who is preparing to be a mommy soon, which should make me the youngest grandmother in Doggywood. For this I have to thank Dude, the only male in the house who has lived up to his name completely. Since he and Bella are Chihuahuas, its a match made in heaven and am really looking forward to the birth of the babies.
My abode…
It’s definitely houseful here for me in Mumbai with 32 little happy feet running about the house and more to come.
Taking care of the lil’ ones…
Since I treat them as my own children, I am just like any mother when it comes to their diet and hygiene. I feed them Royal Canin and once a week its fiesta time with fresh chicken and veggies on the menu. I prefer treats that are odourless and I ensure that their water bowls are refreshed frequently. Jiggy is very particular and will not drink if she feels the water has been in the bowl for a long time.
I am very involved with every aspect of my kids care and have been known to call the groomers much too frequently. A trainer comes in to train them and it’s quite amusing to watch them during this time because they form two teams, one who like the trainer and the other group that gives him a very hard time.
The craziest antic…
I also recently discovered that Missy has an acute sweet tooth and I must tell you how I discovered this. Last Ganpati the whole house was quite baffled by the daily disappearance of the laddoos that we placed on the altar. So on the seventh night I decided to keep vigil, and to my surprise and amusement, I caught my Maltese indulging in some serious pet pooja. She had been sneaking out of her bed every night while we were fast asleep. No wonder I found her putting on weight and should have guessed it was her. This is one of the funniest incidents concerning my babies, and always makes me laugh!
Enjoying car rides…
Going on long outdoor shoots sometimes requires that I stay away from my home for long periods, and this leaves me quite suffocated and I really miss the family. So whenever I return, I take all eight of them out for a long drive, and we have such an awesome time driving through the city.
Dancing to the tunes…
My favorite activity would be getting groovy with all of them. Since I love to dance, it’s a lot more fun and absolutely therapeutic when all of us have a party. In fact, Fluffy is extremely fond of music and will immediately sit by me whenever I am watching a film.
Endless love…
My pets are very attached and extremely sensitive to all my needs. Cookie and Jerry have been known to wait outside the bathroom door for hours, thinking I am inside when I have gone out for some work. I will never forget how they sat by me for more than 18 hours when I was sick with malaria. That’s the reason why I will always be grateful for the love they shower on me.
Annoying habits…
All eight of my pets are well trained and do not have any annoying habits except one which has caused me a lot of embarrassment. They chew up shoes and my guests have sometimes sportingly gone home bare foot. I now advise my friends to please avoid wearing any expensive branded footwear to spare me the sheer discomfort of sending visitors off shoeless.
My tips for good parenting would have to start with being a good human being, only then will you be a good parent. It’s cruel to bring a dog into your life just to boast about his breed and the cost. It’s also important to be prepared to give your pets a hundred percent of your commitment and avoid compromising on their needs and requirements. Avoid leaving your pet entirely in the care of your domestic help, they need to have your attention as well, and can tell immediately if they are being neglected. And lastly love them unconditionally, because that’s what they teach us…and we are dependent on them for life’s biggest strength…the power to love unselfishly. We need them more than they need us, and we should always be grateful that they are with us in good times and bad. (And we all agree, kudos to this glamorous pet parent!)