Manisha Koirala is a Nepali actress who works in Indian films, predominantly in Hindi films and has worked in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Kannada, Nepali and English films.
52 Facts About Manisha Koirala
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Manisha Koirala made her acting debut with the Nepali film Pheri Bhetaula, and went on to feature in the Hindi drama Saudagar.
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Manisha Koirala subsequently starred in a series of commercial successes, including Agni Sakshi, Indian, Gupt: The Hidden Truth, Kachche Dhaage, Mudhalvan, Company and Ek Chhotisi Love Story.
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Manisha Koirala received critical recognition for her portrayals of characters in varied genres: an ambitious wife in Akele Hum Akele Tum, the daughter of deaf-mute parents in Khamoshi: The Musical, a terrorist in Dil Se.
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Post-2003, Manisha Koirala began to work with independent film makers in art-house projects and in regional films.
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Manisha Koirala took a break from acting after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012 and returned five years later with the coming-of-age drama Dear Maya.
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Manisha Koirala promotes causes such as women's rights, prevention of violence against women, prevention of human trafficking and cancer awareness, contributing as an author to the novel Healed: an account of her struggle with ovarian cancer.
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Manisha Koirala was born into the politically prominent Koirala family, in Kathmandu, Nepal.
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Manisha Koirala's father, Prakash Koirala, is a politician, former Cabinet minister and a former member of Nepal's House of Representatives, while her mother, Sushma Koirala, is a homemaker.
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Manisha Koirala has one brother, Siddharth Koirala, who is a former Bollywood actor.
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Manisha Koirala spent her early life in India, and she stayed in Varanasi at her maternal grandmother's home for some years and later in Delhi and Mumbai.
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Manisha Koirala followed this with her Hindi film debut in Subhash Ghai's directorial Saudagar two years later, which emerged as a commercial success.
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However, this was trailed by a series of films that performed poorly at the box office, including First Love Letter, Anmol and Dhanwan, which led to Manisha Koirala being labeled "a jinx" by producers.
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Manisha Koirala is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful actress of Bollywood.
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Manisha Koirala is credited for such roles as 1942 A Love Story, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Bombay, Agnisakshi, Khamoshi, Gupt, Dil Se and Company.
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Manisha Koirala played Rajjo, the daughter of a freedom fighter who falls in love with Naren, the apolitical son of a British colonial employee.
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Manisha Koirala's performance received positive reviews, with critics hailing her as "a sensitive performer".
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In 1995, Manisha Koirala made her debut in Tamil cinema with the Mani Ratnam-directed political romance Bombay, starring alongside Arvind Swami.
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Manisha Koirala took up the role on the insistence of her friend Ashok Mehta, at a time when other contemporaries urged her to not act in non Hindi film industries.
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For playing a Muslim who marries a Hindu journalist against the backdrop of the Bombay riots in the eponymous film, Manisha Koirala won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, the only time it was awarded to a recipient for a performance in a non-Hindi film.
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Manisha Koirala next featured opposite Salman Khan in the comedy Majhdhaar the same year, which was both a critical and commercial failure.
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Manisha Koirala then played a starring role in S Shankar's Indian, which marked her second Tamil film.
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Manisha Koirala played Annie, a caring daughter to her deaf-mute parents Joseph and Flavy, portrayed by Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas respectively; Salman Khan played Raj, her love interest.
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In preparation for her role, Manisha Koirala learned the Indian Sign Language.
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Manisha Koirala received her only win for Best Actress at the Screen Awards.
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Manisha Koirala went on to collaborate with the acclaimed director Mani Ratnam, and starred in his film Dil Se.
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Manisha Koirala's role received similarly good reviews and earned her several award nominations including the Filmfare Best Actress Award nomination.
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Manisha Koirala played a traffic accident victim in the film, which entered into the top five highest-grossing films of the year.
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Indra Kumar's decision to cast Manisha Koirala here is a case of perfect casting, and she never lets him or the audience down.
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Manisha Koirala ventured into strong woman-oriented films in 2003, such as Escape From Taliban, which won her the BFJA Award for Best Actress.
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Manisha Koirala then played the protagonist in Market, a film portraying the whole life story of a young prostitute.
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On 19 June 2010, Manisha Koirala married Samrat Dahal, a Nepali businessman, in a traditional ceremony held in Kathmandu.
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Manisha Koirala plays the antagonist in the film, which revolves around the concept of the Electra complex, which is a daughter's psychosexual competition with her mother for her father's affection.
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Manisha Koirala acted in her native Nepali-language film, Dharmaa, after a gap of 22 years since her first film.
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Manisha Koirala was next seen in director Onir's critically acclaimed anthology film I Am, sharing the screen with Juhi Chawla.
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On 29 November 2012, media news reported that Manisha Koirala had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
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Manisha Koirala had no clue about the disease until she felt very weak, and went to a hospital in Kathmandu with her brother.
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Manisha Koirala flew to India and was admitted to Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai.
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Manisha Koirala then flew to the US for treatment, however the exact ailment was not disclosed.
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Manisha Koirala had to undergo chemotherapy and spent months at the hospital in New York.
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Manisha Koirala silently returned with a Kannada- Tamil, mystery film Game where she portrayed the main female lead.
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The next year, Manisha Koirala starred in the Netflix anthology Lust Stories.
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Manisha Koirala played a middle-aged housewife, having an extra-marital affair with her husband's best friend.
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Manisha Koirala later featured in Prasthanam Hindi remake of the political thriller with same title, in which she played as Sanjay Dutt's wife and much delayed film Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish released on Netflix this year.
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Manisha Koirala then starred in an American comedy film India Sweets and Spices, directed by Geeta Malik.
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Manisha Koirala is actively involved in social work, specifically working with organisations to promote women's rights, prevention of violence against women, and to prevent the human trafficking of Nepali girls for prostitution.
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Manisha Koirala has advocated the need for an official Earth Anthem for the planet supporting the efforts of Indian poet-diplomat Abhay K in this direction.
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In May 2013, after her cancer treatment, Manisha Koirala said she intends to use her celebrity status and personal story to inspire others who are battling the dreaded disease.
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Manisha Koirala has become a motivational speaker after her battle with cancer, and gives talks on various topics at schools, hospitals and organisations.
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Manisha Koirala was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal in 2015 and was involved in the relief works after the Nepal earthquake 2015.
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Manisha Koirala gave speeches in 2016 on "Transformation" at Mercedes-Benz India in Pune, and on "Importance of Being Mindful Living" at Cipla in Goa.
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Manisha Koirala has contributed as a co-writer to a book: Healed, the story of her battle against ovarian cancer.