Manisha Koirala is a Nepali actress who has had an illustrious career in the Indian film industry where she made a mark with her stellar work, primarily in Hindi-language films, earning numerous awards such as Filmfare Awards. She belongs to the prominent Koirala family, arguably the most prominent political dynasty in the history of Nepal. Manisha took an extended break from acting after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012 and returned to filming 5 years later after a successful battle with the dreaded disease. In the 2nd half of her career, she has been a vocal activist for women’s rights, prevention of human trafficking, and cancer awareness.
Born Name
Manisha Koirala
Nick Name
Manya, Manu
Sun Sign
Leo
Born Place
Kathmandu, Nepal
Residence
Kathmandu, Nepal
Nationality
Education
Manisha attended the Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya in Varanasi, India till the 10th grade. After completing her high school graduation, she moved to New Delhi to pursue a medical degree and studied at the Army Public School.
However, after landing a few modeling assignments in Delhi, she shifted her focus toward acting and moved to Mumbai to pursue that dream. In 2004, she temporarily moved to the United States and earned a diploma in filmmaking from New York University.
Occupation
Actress
Family
- Father – Prakash Koirala (Politician)
- Mother – Sushma Koirala
- Siblings – Siddharth Koirala (Younger Brother) (Actor)
- Others – Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala (Paternal Grandfather) (Politician, Former Prime Minister of Nepal), Girija Prasad Koirala (Paternal Great Uncle), (Politician, Former Prime Minister of Nepal) (d. 2010), Matrika Prasad Koirala (Paternal Great Uncle), (Politician, Former Prime Minister of Nepal) (d. 1997), Shushila Koirala (Paternal Grandmother), Dr. Shree Harsh Koirala (Paternal Uncle) (Engineer), Ruchira Koirala (Paternal Aunt), Shreyas Koirala (Cousin), Avanti Koirala (Cousin), Dr. Shashanka Koirala (Paternal Uncle) (Politician, Eye Specialist), Suphatra Koirala (Paternal Aunt), Supriya Koirala (Cousin), Chetana Koirala (Paternal Aunt)
Manager
She is represented by –
- Subroto Ghosh, Personal and Business Manager
- The Artists Planet, Booking Agency, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 5 in or 165 cm
Weight
58 kg or 128 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Manisha has dated –
- (1994)
- (1996)
- Christpin Conroy (2001)
- Samrat Dahal (2010-2012) – Manisha had first met Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal through Facebook in 2010. They began dating soon after and got married on June 19, 2010. The couple parted ways, though, in 2012.
Race / Ethnicity
Asian
She has Nepali ancestry.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Charming smile
- Long, straight hair
- Radiant face
- Has a mole under her right eye
Brand Endorsements
Manisha has served as the brand ambassador of –
- Home TV
- NIC Asia Bank
- Sagoon Inc.
Religion
Hinduism
Manisha Koirala Favorite Things
- Filmmaker/Director –
- Color – Red
- Movie – Masoom (1983)
Source – , ,
Manisha Koirala Facts
- She spent several years of her childhood in India, staying in Varanasi at her maternal grandmother’s home and later in both Delhi and Mumbai.
- Despite coming from a family of politicians and administrators, Manisha was not too interested in the field and had wanted to become a doctor.
- After her board exams had finished, she made her acting debut, as an experiment, with the 1989 Nepali film Pheri Bhetaula.
- She started acting in Bollywood films in 1991 but her breakthrough came with the 1994 Vidhu Vinod Chopra film 1942: A Love Story. Vidhu had rejected her after the first screen test but was impressed by her 2nd audition and decided to cast her for the film in place of .
- For her work in the 1995 film titled Bombay, she won the Filmfare Critics Award for “Best Performance”. It was the first time that a Filmfare award was given for a performance in a non-Hindi film.
- In 2001, Manisha was honored with the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu, the second-highest honor of the kingdom of Nepal.
- She was appointed as the ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ for the UN Population Fund twice, in 1999 and 2015.
- Manisha served as a jury member in the 2009 edition of the Dubai International Film Festival.
- She is an accomplished Bharatnatyam and Manipuri dancer.
Featured Image by Bollywood Hungama / / CC BY-3.0
Facts of Manisha Koirala
- full nameManisha Koirala
- Date of Birth August 16, 1970
- Age 54 years 0 months
- Horoscope Leo
- Lucky Number 5
- Lucky Stone Ruby
- Lucky Color Gold
- Best Match for Marriage Sagittarius, Gemini, Aries
- weight58 kg
- height5 ft 5 in