Two Russian mermaids swim amid poisonous fish in an 18 feet deep tank, holding their breath for 15 minutes, blowing flying kisses at you while you tuck into an Orientalu00a0 meal

Picture this: The two of you are seated in a cosy corner, right next to a massive aquarium. Just as you are sipping on a cocktail, a larger-than-normal fish swims into the frame near your table.

Wait, it's not a fish. It's a mermaid holding a "Marry Me" placard! Don't you get it, silly? He's proposing, with a little help from a Russian mermaid.

Semenova Veronika and Stikhilyas Valeriya, who can help you pop the question, have been flown down all the way from Russia and are scheduled to stay in Mumbai for the next few months.



Ocean, the Pan-Asian restaurant at Sahara Star, has decided to give its guests an aquatic surprise. The 18 feet deep aquarium spread across an area of 2,500 square feet is, of course, the main attraction.

But exotic fish from the Red Sea weren't enough of an enticement for the management. "We are always on the lookout for something different we can offer.

I took eight months to track these performers down," says Priyanka Dave, event manager at the hotel.

These 19 year-olds take to the aquarium for a 12-minute performance every hour, between 8 pm and 10 pm on week days and during brunch on Sundays.

The trained synchronised swimmers have been at similar feats since they were 10.

After a five-year training that included learning to hold their breath for up to 15 minutes, they gave their first professional performance in 2004. "We have travelled across the world.

Before coming to India, we performed in Japan," says Veronika. But this is the first time they are swimming with live fish in an aquarium.
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In fact, the girls had to get acclimatised to the aquarium before they could go ahead with the performance.
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"The fish here are from the Red Sea 90% are poisonous and the rest are mighty aggressive," says Dashwijith Pattali, assistant restaurant manager. But that doesn't seem to scare the swimmers.

"The fish swim away when we get close to them. Even when they do get close, they are only trying to be friendly," smiles Veronika.

Guests at the hotel are having a whale of a time, of course. Seema Agarwal who was at the hotel with her kids, said, "The children love to see them. For them, trying to spot the mermaids is a game."

At: Ocean, Sahara Star, near Domestic Airport, Vile Parle (E).
Call: 39895000.
Time: 8 pm to 10 pm on week days, 1.30 pm and 2.30 pm on Sundays.