With over three decades of a successful career in the movies, Manisha Koirala has starred in iconic Bollywood films such as Bombay (1995), 1942: A Love Story (1994), and Dil Se (1998). After a super charged career filled with interesting moments, she also fought cancer, healed herself and wrote a book. Later, the versatile star made a huge comeback with Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi, a Netflix series that has gained her immense accolades.
Today, Manisha is invested in projects that are meaningful while she uses her voice and agency on issues that matter to her be it politics, health, an active life, equality or conservation. At home, she is gardening, spending time with family and friends, enjoying her pets and making health a priority.
In this edition of WOW, Manisha talks a little about her life journey while giving us insight into what shapes her world today. Excerpts:
You are one of the finest actors with a successful three-decade innings. Did you ever think that your career would be this long when you started out?
Shelf life of a female actor is less across the globe. Particularly in the cinema that I have worked, it is even less. When I began my career, the maximum career span for a female actor was ten years. However, Bollywood has been very kind to me. It has been a space where I got my recognition; I got my career; I got everything, money, fame and love. And I got a space to work hard and shine.
From Pheri Bhetaula (1990) to Heeramandi (2024), you have challenged the image of a traditional film heroine. What inspired you to take up these roles?
I really do not know if it has been my choice. I have witness strongheaded women in my family and I have been brought up to be one. I have been a rebel since my childhood. I have always felt the need to fight for justice and equality. I had a personality in me, but choosing that kind of a role has not been very conscious. Probably I am a God’s child who has always been guided.
Your character in Heeramandi, Mallikajaan, spoke chaste Urdu, and she had long and elaborate dialogues. How did you prepare for this?
I was working in my garden when I was offered the role. While going through it, I realised my character spoke fluent Urdu and the first thing that struck me was that I need to have a control over the diction. Language has always been my minus point. I am neither good at Nepali or Hindi or English. I speak a mix of all. Some people are very good with languages. I am not.
Heeramandi was the most challenging roles I have signed till date and it has been the most satisfying as well. And whenever I prepare for a character, I pinpoint my weaknesses and work on it. So, I told the director that I want to have a full command over my language because this character is speaking beautiful dialogues and she’s at ease while speaking Urdu. Luckily for me, my diction coach lived a few buildings down from my building. So, I would pick her up and drop her most of the time. Even during breaks, if she was not shooting and required by other people, other artists, I would request her to sit with me and we would practice Urdu. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is extremely observant and a perfectionist. And when you are working with people like him, you just follow their lead.
I prepared a lot for Mallikajaan because I knew I had to put in extra amount of work. As I had been out of touch in between because of my disease. More than anything else, I had to prepare my body for intense work hours. For one of the scenes in the series, I had to stay immersed in the water inside a fountain for 12 hours. The shoot for the sequence tested my resilience as the pores in my skin were soaked in the water, which became muddied as the crew members were stepping inside the fountain. It was intense but my heart was filled with gratitude. Being an actor you have to adapt yourself to the environment that you’re working in. I remember once Gulshan Grover told me that imagine if a cricketer starts having sun allergy likewise an actor can’t say, “Oh, It is time for my nap and I need to sleep now”.
Has your approach to acting changed over the years?
My approach to acting has definitely evolved over the years. When I was getting into my next phase of acting, I started watching more and more films. I researched about what the audience is appreciating in films; what kind of acting is expected by the masses and the kind of storytelling that is taking place. In the whole study, I found that today people love realistic cinema. In the 90s, we all preferred a little bit of melodrama. Then, crying on top of the lungs was considered good acting. Today, cinema has blurred the line between acting and reality. The performance is as good as real. From makeup to styling, everything has taken the minimalistic curve.
And adapting this shift came very naturally to me as I have been taught this by some of the finest directors whom I worked with in my nineties and 2000s.
You had also produced a film, and it didn’t work. Do you plan to go into production again?
I realised the value of being a producer when I stepped into that shoe. The producers go through so much of problems and it is the most thankless job in the industry. We, actors are in front of camera, and if we do a good job, we are applauded and easily get recognised; what about the people behind the camera? They hardly get any recognition.
I went through a very tough time during Paisa Vasool (2004) release as a producer. I do not see myself producing any film in the near future but you never know.
What has been your experience with the OTT platform since you have always worked for the silver screen?
I just hope and pray that integrity of the OTT platform remains intact. I have been very grateful for this platform because in cinema, a lot of money gets invested in the commercial aspects. So automatically money dictates terms and that is quite crippling when it comes to experimental cinema or when it comes to taking chances. That’s why in Bollywood, for many years we were not making great contents. It is a boom of OTT platform which has given space for newer talent, unexplored areas of storytelling. People are taking chances.
There is a gender pay gap in the film industry. Have you had to face it?
Absolutely. Till date, I keep saying the same thing. I think it is not only in the film industry, but I think it exists in almost every household, women still have to strive to get equal recognition, equal justice, equal rights, and equal pay. We have to work double the amount just to be recognised as much as the guys get recognised for their contribution. In the industry, somebody also said to me, “Do you realise that in fashion industry, the female models get a lot more money than the male models, and the pay structure depends upon the demand cycle.” However, can you imagine a cinema without a woman? Maybe one in thousands, where no female is required. But in a film, in a story, you need male and female. Still, the whole finance structure revolves around a hero.
There was a time when I was paid much more than the heroes were paid, but that happened only for a couple of films, not consistently. Even today, there are actresses, who are in the same picture. All I can say is, we need more women ratio in every sector to see the transition in pay parity.
Coming from a politically prominent family, what are your thoughts on entering politics?
I have been born and brought up in a particular environment. It is very natural for me to instinctively be interested in politics. Till date, I am really interested in world politics. I am instantly glued into it in terms of discussion and opinions. I am attracted towards politics but probably as an analyst, as a researcher, or as somebody who’s not into active politics, but is keenly observant of what is happening in the world.
Talking about my involvement in Nepali politics, my temperament is not conducive to be a politician. I am a creative person with a gypsy soul and I do not think that these things really help a politician.
In your book you say that you want to live differently in the future. Are you?
Absolutely. I am not saying I am leading a perfect life. But I am working towards ticking all the boxes that I want. I do not compromise on quality of sleep. I eat quality of food. I go to the gym almost every day. I lead a very quiet and peaceful life, no more space for any drama. I am very content in this. And, there are days when I am disturbed, then I have my teachers, my gurus and I have people that I count on.
When I am working, I want to be like somebody who has fire in the belly and who is ambitious and who wants to really do the best in the given environment. One should have clarity in life. My family and health are my priority. Similarly, I want to have financial independence. I want to be a professional, I want to be creative in so many ways.
You have also talked about alcohol addiction, IVF, failed romantic relationships in your book…
A lot of people had advised me when I was doing wrong and I never learned. I never took anybody’s advice. And I realised that some of us need to really fall and realise the value. In the book, I wanted to talk about my experiences so that, maybe, somebody can learn from it and maybe telling my story honestly will help somebody to navigate their life better. My life’s purpose has been to tell my truth and hoping that it will help other people. While it also helps me as a catharsis, to release it out of my body.
When you look back at your life, what would be an advise you would like to give to your younger self?
There are a lot. I know myself much more now than I knew in my heyday. I have mulled over this question a lot because I have been asked this question before. I think there are two things. First, in my early days, I didn’t know how to deal with most situations. Today, I know that we have a lot of capacity to endure, no matter what happens to us, and that nothing is too big. We can always get out of the problem. We can always take it as an opportunity for growth rather than play victim. Second, I had not prioritised my health much.
Does ageing bother you?
Age doesn’t bother me, but ageism does. On one hand, I am grateful that I have had a long career and I am still offered films and I refuse most of it, take few of it. But at the same time, I also was made very much aware in Mumbai that ageism exists. There are times where people dismiss you because of your age. And it just doesn’t exist in Indian cinema but across the world.
I saw a documentary about Hollywood actresses where after they cross 40, they were having issues regarding getting work. However, people like me are still getting work and a few female actors older than me are also working but we would need more to see a drastic shift in the industry.
Does it bother you when you aren’t looking your glamorous best?
Yes, it does. Right after my cancer treatment when I felt I was looking like an alien with no eyebrows, no eyelashes and no hair on my head. To face the world at that time for me was very difficult and the last thing I want in people’s eyes was pity. I just wanted to stay inside and never face the world. But with time, I have realised that people do overlook these things and applaud you silently for your courage. They may not always say it. Humanity is still alive today, despite everything. I experienced that.
Having said that, today I am conscious of how I look. I do want to look my best. I do want to feel my best. I like fashion. I like to see what is working. I want to be well turned out. I am extra cautious about it. Appearance is a big deal in Bollywood and it matters to me.
The Internet has completely transformed celebrity culture. How do you deal with social media?
I feel sometimes being honest really kind of helps your own personal journey. I am always navigating and I am trying to learn. I have fumbled in social media. Sometimes I am overdoing it and sometimes there’s a slack.
I have not mastered the art but the reality is that it is a big part of our lives today. I have set a 30 minutes limit on my phone, and I am always exceeding it. However, my screentime doesn’t exceed more than two hours in a day.
You usually share about your gym sessions on Instagram. How do you stay fit?
I have always been a sports person so I realised in my 50s that I need to keep at it. My body calls for it. And I am very happy in the gym. One of my close friends she comes in a cycle. We both cycle to the gym and again come back home and we eat good lunch.
You have talked about enjoying solo travel. Can you tell us about one such trip which made a lasting impression on you?
I enjoy solo travels but at the same time I love meeting people. I travel to places where I either have relatives or friends around. I am not one of those people who are extremely happy in a new city with no known faces.
Places like London and USA where I have been multiple times, I think there’s a sense of independence that I enjoy. I love going for walks as long as it is safe, window shopping, chilling by the beach, reading a book, and more.
A cause that is close to your heart
Equality, to me, matters the most. Being a Koirala daughter, I have witnessed women in the family been given equal position in terms of love and respect. When I step out of my home, I want to see the same equality in every household.
A lesson Bombay taught you.
Bombay has taught me a lot. Bombay has a big heart and it welcomes everybody. One of the good takeaways from Bombay is that I have seen multimillionaires, billionaires and a middle class being the best of friends. There is no wall.
A Bollywood actor you think will really do well in the coming future?
I worked with Jaideep Ahlawat in Lust Stories and he was a fabulous co-actor. He is not a big star but whenever his films release, he definitely wins awards. He will definitely be huge in the coming times. Also, Vikrant Massey is a brilliant actor.
Directors you want to work with in the future.
Oh, the list is long. Anurag Basu, Anurag Kashyap. There are directors, I want to work again, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Mani Ratnam.
A hidden talent people do not know about you
There are so many actually. Interior designing being one of them. My home is a testament to it.
Your fashion choices?
Again, it is eclectic, like my house. It all depends on what the occasion is. Otherwise, it is casual but chic. A pair of jeans with shirt, flats and putting them all together. I think accessories is my strength. I have a huge collection of sunglasses, belts, bags and footwear.
A fashion brand you love.
I love Gucci glasses. I like high end stuff and quality.
Your go-to place to travel.
I love London.
