Mumbai (Commonwealth Union)_ Manisha Koirala, the renowned Bollywood actress, has made a remarkable comeback after facing various struggles in her life. From her powerful roles as an unhappy wife in Lust Stories to portraying Nargis Dutt in Sanju, she describes this as her second innings and intends to make the most of it. During a recent interview, Manisha said that this would be the best phase of her life, not just in terms of work, but also in her personal life.
According to Manisha Koirala, success is the “luxury to say no.” The actor believes she has acquired this status over the course of her career, with films like 1942: A Love Story, Bombay, and Company serving as turning points. Now, nearly two decades later, Koirala expressed optimism that the impending series “Heeramandi” by Sanjay Leela Bhansali will be another milestone for her. During an interview, she said, “What I call success is the freedom to do what I want to do and at what time. I feel I am pretty successful today because I have the luxury to say no. The undying love for this profession keeps me going. I love the field of acting and cinema,” the actor told PTI in an interview here”.
The actress made her Bollywood debut with Saudagar in 1991 and has been a prominent star in the film industry ever since. She captivated audiences with her performances in movies such as 1942: A Love Story, Bombay, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Khamoshi: The Musical, Gupt: The Hidden Truth, Dil Se.. and Mann. However, her popularity faded with movies like Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani, Ek Chhotisi Love Story, Paisa Vasool, and Dear Maya. Following her battle with cancer, she is now busy with several projects. She has also written a book about her struggle with cancer and has inspired people with her motivational speeches.
The 52-year-old actress has now reunited with her “Khamoshi: The Musical” director Bhansali for Netflix’s “Heeramandi,” the director’s debut in digital media. Elaborating about Heeramandi, she added, “The turning points for me have been ‘Saudagar’, ‘1942: A Love Story’, ‘Bombay’ and after a long gap I did ‘Company’. Now, I feel ‘Heeramandi’ could be my turning point. I’m keeping my fingers crossed”. The highly awaited period drama examines the cultural reality of the dazzling district of ‘Heeramandi’ through the tales of courtesans and their patrons against the turbulent background of the 1940s Indian freedom struggle.
Koirala referred to Bhansali as a “maestro” and stated that it was a joy to collaborate with the director after more than 25 years. She added, “Sanjay is somebody with whom I worked in ‘Khamoshi’ and there was a long gap, but we stayed in touch. We have a deep friendship bond, which is not limited to work. I have a deep-rooted respect for him because he is one filmmaker, who has improved with every film and it is because of his work ethics, which nobody can match”.
The cast also features the following popular actors: Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh. Koirala was delighted when the director of “Gangubai Kathiawadi” offered her the role. According to her, he is a simple individual who is deeply rooted. It is a joy to collaborate with him. The actor stated that Bhansali is one of the few directors whose films starring women are box office successes.
Manisha was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012 and fought it with all her strength. She chronicled her journey to becoming a survivor in her book Healed: How Cancer Gave Me a New Life. In terms of work, Koirala has recently worked on films such as Lust Stories, Sanju, and Shehzada. She expressed her eagerness to form a new fan base and reconnect with her admirers. She also hinted at some very interesting projects that she is currently working on and will make an announcement about soon.
