No honeymoon for Kunal and Soha Soha Ali Khan

The actress who ties the knot with her steady beau on January 25 and will start shooting for Ghayal 2 in February, says that they will visit Europe when the weather gets better.

January 25 is D-day for Soha Ali Khan. That's the day when the actress and her live-in partner, Kunal Khemu, officially become life partners.

"Our families decided the date-his parents and my mother. I am never one to dream about the day since I was a young girl. I am more interested in the marriage than the wedding. But as the day approaches, I'm quite excited. It's a big step," Soha admits.

Five days before the wedding, she's swamped like any bride-to-be, but not with trousseau shopping. "It's a small, simple ceremony with us registering the marriage at home and we haven't even planned a big reception. So there is no need for loads of shopping," she points out practically, adding that her mother, Sharmila Tagore, has given her some lovely jewellery and they have selected some beautiful outfits together.

Her sister-in-law, Kareena Kapoor, who is as excited, has also been very helpful and involved in all the planning. And what about big brother Saif? Has he had any man-to-man talks with Kunal yet? "You have to ask him that," Soha laughs. "But they have had many long chats, brother to brother."

The couple met in 2009 when they were paired in Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru's 99. They have been living together in a plush apartment in Khar for the last two years. Last July, they took off to London where her brother was filming Phantom. After holidaying there for a few days, they decided to extend their vacation and moved on to Paris where Kunal took her by surprise by proposing to her "with the most perfect ring in the world".

In September when Mirror had quizzed her on her wedding plans, Soha had admitted that friends told them they haven't seen a couple so close and yet so commitment-phobic. "I feel that after marriage we might start taking each other for granted and the romance would end," she had said then..

But as the big day nears, all these doubts and misgivings are fast disappearing. Her mother has warned her that her responsibilities will increase now, but she's not unduly worried. "I may be naive but I don't think things will change too much given that we have lived together for over two years," she insists, "Amma's advice to us is: Don't hurt a man's ego and don't hurt a woman's emotions."

She's missing her dad, the late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. "I wish abba had been here on my wedding day," she says wistfully. "He didn't say much but whatever he said was astute, witty and succinct."

But Kunal's parents are now her family too. And in his father she's found a man who's wise and well-read and whose opinion she values. "I love my in-laws, I have known them for years and feel completely at home with them."

His mother is keen to teach her how to cook the dishes Kunal loves. "But I think she's given up on me now," Soha laughs. So does this mean it's adieu to acting? Soha insists she'll continue to act, with no breaks.

"I started shooting for Ghayal 2 in February," she informs. So, no honeymoon then? "No honeymoon right now," she acknowledges. "We'll plan something fun when the weather in Europe is better, perhaps in summer."