Manisha Koirala Height Weight Bra Size Age Biography Family Wiki Net Worth, Affairs, Marriage & much more. Manisha Koirala (born 16 August 1970) is a Nepalese actress who is known for her work in Indian films, predominantly in Hindi language films. Known for her work in leads roles in the 1990s and early 2000s in both commercial and independent cinema, she is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards. In 2001, the Government of Nepal awarded her with the Order of Gorkha Dakshina Bahu, the second highest honour of the country.
Born to the politically prominent Koirala family, she is the daughter of Prakash Koirala and granddaughter of Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, former Prime Minister of Nepal. Initially aspiring to become a doctor, she had a brief stint in modeling, and subsequently made her acting debut with the Nepali film Pheri Bhetaula (1989) while still in school. She later went on to feature in the Hindi drama film Saudagar (1991). Following a series of commercial failures, Koirala established herself as a leading actress with acclaimed patriotic romance 1942: A Love Story (1994) and the Tamil-language romantic drama Bombay (1995), subsequently starring in a series of commercial successes, including Agni Sakshi (1996), Indian (1996), Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), Kachche Dhaage, the Tamil-language film Mudhalvan (both 1999), Company (2002) and Ek Chhotisi Love Story (2002). She received critical recognition for her portrayal of an ambitious wife in the drama Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), the daughter of deaf-mute parents in the musical romance Khamoshi: The Musical (1996), a terrorist in the romantic thriller Dil Se.. (1998), a mistreated woman in the drama Lajja (2001) and Sushmita Banerjee in the biopic Escape From Taliban (2003).
Post-2003, Koirala began to work with independent film makers in art-house projects and in regional films. Her performance in the drama Tulsi (2008), the Malayalam psychological drama Elektra (2010), the anthology I Am (2010) and the romantic comedy Mappillai (2011) were praised. She 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 (2017). The following year, she featured in the Netflix production Lust Stories and the biography Sanju; the latter ranks among the highest-grossing Indian releases. In addition to acting in films, Koirala is a stage performer and has contributed as an author to the novel Healed, an account of her struggle with ovarian cancer. Koirala was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund in 1999 for India and 2015 for Nepal, and was involved in the relief works after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake. She promotes causes such as women’s rights, prevention of violence against women, prevention of human trafficking and cancer awareness.
Early life
Manisha Koirala was born into the politically prominent Brahmin Koirala family, in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her father, Prakash Koirala, is a politician and a former minister of environment, while her mother, Sushma Koirala, is a homemaker. She has one brother, Siddharth Koirala, who is an actor. Several members of her family went on to become politicians; her grandfather, Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, was the Prime Minister of Nepal during the late 1950s to the early 1960s, as were two of her great-uncles, Girija Prasad Koirala and Matrika Prasad Koirala. 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.
While at home in Varanasi, she attended the Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya until Class X. During a break after her board exams, Koirala made her acting debut in 1989 with the Nepali film Pheri Bhetaula as an experiment. Aspiring to become a doctor, she moved to Delhi and studied at the Army Public School (APS) of the Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi campus. In an interview, she said that living on her own in Delhi helped her become “strong and independent.” In Delhi, Koirala took on a few modeling assignments, but later shifted her focus toward acting. One of these was for a wool company. Determined to pursue a career in acting, Koirala moved to Mumbai for film roles.
She followed this with her Bollywood debut in Subhash Ghai’s directorial Saudagar two years later, which emerged as a commercial success. According to Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com, “ritics saw sparks in Manisha, even as she was constantly referred to as Madhuri Dixit’s lookalike”. Yalgaar (1992), did well at the box-office and was classified as a hit. However, this was trailed by a series of films that performed poorly at the box office, including First Love Letter (1991), Anmol and Dhanwan (both 1993), which led to Koirala being labeled “a jinx” by producers. Koirala is frequently cited as one of the most beautiful actress of Bollywood. She is credited for such roles as 1942 A Love Story, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Bombay, Agnisakshi, Khamoshi, Gupt, Dil Se and Company.
Manisha Koirala Measurements Height Weight Bra Size Age
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Manisha Koirala |
| Nickname | Manu, Manya |
| Profession | Film Actress, Social Activist |
| Famous For | 1942: A Love Story (1994) Agni Sakshi (1996) Gupt (1997) and Mann (1999) |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 165 cm in meters- 1.65 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 5” |
| Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- 63 kg in Pounds- 139 lbs |
| Measurements | 36-34-38 |
| Eye Colour | Brown |
| Hair Colour | Black and Brown |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 16 August 1970 |
| Age (as in 2022) | 52 Years |
| Birth Place | Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Zodiac sign/Sun sign | Leo |
| Nationality | Nepalese and Indian |
| Hometown | Delhi, India |
| School | VKM, Varanasi (Till Class X) Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi |
| College | New York University |
| Educational Qualification | Diploma in Film Making |
| Debut | Bollywood– Saudagar (1991) Nepali Film– Pheri Bhetaula (1989) |
| Family | Father– Prakash Koirala (Former Nepalese politician) Mother– Sushma Koirala Brother– Siddharth Koirala (Bollywood Actor) Sister– N/A |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Ethnicity | Nepalese and Indian |
| Hobbies | Travelling |
| Favourite Things | |
| Favourite Color | White |
| Favourite Movies | ‘Masoom’, ‘One flew over the cuckoo’s nest’, ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ ‘Kagaz Ke Phool’ |
| Favourite Director | Mani Ratnam |
| Favourite Actor | Kamal Haasan |
| Favourite Books | Fyodr Dostoevsky’s ‘The Idiot’, John Irwing’s ‘The world according to Garp’ and Erica Jong’s ‘Fear of fifty’ |
| Favourite Ghazal Artists | Begum Akhtar and Mehdi Hassan |
| Favourite Drinks | Water, Fresh Lime Soda and Strawberry Champagne |
| Favourite Comic Books | Tintin and Archie |
| Favourite Actresses | Ingrid Bergman, Meryl Streep and Whoopi Goldberg |
| Favourite Perfumes | Private Collection and Skate |
| Favourite Sport | Basketball |
| Favourite Destination | Kashmir and London |
| Boys, Affairs and More | |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Affairs/Boyfriends | Vivek Mushran (Bollywood Actor) Crispin Conroy (Australian Ambassador for Nepal) Sandeep Chowta (Bollywood Music Director) Nana Patekar (Famous Bollywood Actor) DJ Whosane (DJ) Cecil Anthony (Nigerian Businessman) Aryan Vaid (Indian model and actor) Prashant Chaudhari (Restaurateur) Akshay (Bollywood Actor) Christopher Dorris (A sports counselor, author and entrepreneur) Samrat Dahal |
| Husband/Spouse | Samrat Dahal (2010–2012) (American Businessman) |
| Money Factor | |
| Net Worth | INR 80 Crore (approx.) |
Career fluctuations
In 2004, she moved to New York City and earned a diploma in filmmaking from New York University. While living in New York, she became a member of an independent documentary filmmakers’ society. After receiving a diploma in filmmaking, she produced the small-budget caper-comedy Paisa Vasool (2004), in which she starred along with Sushmita Sen; this was probably the first ever chick-flick in Indian cinema in that it did not have a male lead nor a love story. Since then, she has played supporting and leading roles in various unsuccessful films, some of which have been well received by critics, such as the historical epic drama Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story (2005), the thriller Tum – A Dangerous Obsession (2005), and the horror film Anjaane – The Unknown (2005).
In Anwar, she played a supporting role along with her brother Siddharth, her only release in 2007. In 2008, she made her comeback to films, with her first leading role since Mumbai Express (2005), in Tulsi, opposite Irrfan Khan. Although before its release, her comeback was described by the media as “shocking”, and the film suffered from poor marketing, her performance as Tulsi, a young homemaker diagnosed with leukemia, was well received. Taran Adarsh from IndiaFM wrote: “Manisha Koirala sinks her teeth in this role and delivers a fine performance.” She next starred in Sirf (2008). The film was released without any notice or publicity and was a critical and box office failure. Her first Bengali film Khela, directed by Rituparno Ghosh, released the same year, along with the long delayed Hindi film Mehbooba; both films released on the same day.
In December 2009, she served as a jury member in the fifth edition of the Dubai International Film Festival. Her next film was Deepti Naval’s directorial debut Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Char Aane Ki Barish which premiered at the market section of the 2009 Cannes Film Festival to a positive response. Later that year, she acted in Partho Ghosh’s Ek Second… Jo Zindagi Badal De?.
Off-screen work
Koirala is actively involved in social work, specifically working with organisations to promote women’s rights, prevention of violence against women, and also to prevent the human trafficking of Nepali girls for prostitution. In September 1999, she was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for India. 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.
In May 2013, after her cancer treatment, Koirala said she intends to use her celebrity status and personal story to inspire others who are battling the dreaded disease. “All I want to do from now onwards is to be useful to people who could need little advice,” she said in her first interview since undergoing cancer treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre. She has become a motivational speaker after her battle with cancer, and gives talks on various topics at schools, hospitals and organisations.
Manisha Koirala as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador at a program in Nepal(2015)
She was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal in 2015 and was involved in the relief works after the Nepal earthquake 2015.
She gave speeches in 2016 on “Transformation” at Mercedes-Benz India in Pune, and on “Importance of Being Mindful Living” at Cipla in Goa. She was scheduled to speakon “Health is Our Responsibility” at Sneh Foundation in February 2017; on “Cancer is Conquerable” at Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad; and on “My Life’s Lesson” at Shiv Nadar Foundation in Chennai; on “Why Celebrities Need Coaching” in Delhi; on “Woman Empowerment” at National Women’s Parliament in Vijayawada; and on “Gifts of Cancer” at TEDx Jaipur.
In 2017, she was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador by Nepal’s Ministry of Urban Development for Bagmati Cleanup Mega Campaign aimed at cleaning the Bagmati River.
She has contributed as a co-writer to a book: Healed, the story of her battle against ovarian cancer.
In 2020, she launched ‘’Manisha Koirala Cancer Education Fund’’ with the support of Global College International, Kathmandu to give educational scholarships to children of cancer victim or survivors with poor financial background. Her social activism and achievements in movies has made her one of the most famous Nepalis in the world.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Pheri Bhetaula | Unknown |
| 1991 | Saudagar | Radha |
| First Love Letter | Radha Singh | Hindi |
| 1992 | Yalgaar | Meghna Kumar |
| 1993 | Insaaniyat Ke Devta | Nisha |
| Anmol | Anmol | Hindi |
| Dhanwan | Imli | Hindi |
| 1994 | Yuhi Kabhi | Pooja |
| Milan | Priya | Hindi |
| 1942: A Love Story | Rajeshwari Pathak | Hindi |
| Criminal | Swetha | Telugu |
| Sangdil Sanam | Sanam | Hindi |
| 1995 | Criminal | Swetha |
| Bombay | Shaila Banu | Tamil |
| Anokha Andaz | Reema | Hindi |
| Guddu | Salina Gupta | Hindi |
| Ram Shastra | Anjali Sinha | Hindi |
| Akele Hum Akele Tum | Kiran Kumar | Hindi |
| Dushmani: A Violent Love Story | Sapna Oberoi | Hindi |
| 1996 | Agni Sakshi | Shubhangi/Madhu |
| Majhdhaar | Radha Rai | Hindi |
| Indian | Aishwarya | Tamil |
| Khamoshi: The Musical | Annie | Hindi |
| 1997 | Sanam | Sanam |
| Gupt: The Hidden Truth | Sheetal Choudhry | Hindi |
| Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein | Suman | Hindi |
| Loha | Herself | Hindi |
| 1998 | Yugpurush | Sunita |
| Salaakhen | Herself | Hindi |
| Achanak | Pooja | Hindi |
| Dil Se.. | Meghna | Hindi |
| Maharaja | Shaili Mathur | Hindi |
| 1999 | Kachche Dhaage | Rukhsana |
| Lal Baadshah | Kiran | Hindi |
| Laawaris | Anshu Mehra | Hindi |
| Jai Hind | Sheetal | Hindi |
| Mudhalvan | Thenmozhi | Tamil |
| Kartoos | Manpreet “Mini” Kaur | Hindi |
| Mann | Priya Verma | Hindi |
| Hindustan Ki Kasam | Roshanaara | Hindi |
| 2000 | Khauff | Neha |
| Baaghi | Rani | Hindi |
| Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya | Manisha | Hindi |
| Champion | Sapna Khanna | Hindi |
| 2001 | Grahan | Parvati Shastri |
| Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller | Nisha | Hindi |
| Lajja | Vaidehi | Hindi |
| Aalavandhan | Sharmilee | Tamil |
| Moksha | Ritika Sanyal | Hindi |
| 2002 | Company | Saroja |
| Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani | Vasundhara Divya | Hindi |
| Ek Chotisi Love Story | The Woman | Hindi |
| Baba | Chamundeswari | Tamil |
| 2003 | Escape from Taliban | Sushmita Bannerjee/Sayed Kamal |
| Calcutta Mail | Sanjana | Hindi |
| Market | Muskaan Bano | Hindi |
| 2004 | Paisa Vasool | Maria |
| Tum – A Dangerous Obsession | Kamini | Hindi |
| 2005 | Chaahat – Ek Nasha | Mallika Arora |
| Mumbai Xpress | Ahalya | Tamil |
| Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story | Jahan Ara | Hindi |
| Anjaane – The Unknown | Shivani | Hindi |
| 2006 | Darwaza Bandh Rakho | Julie |
| 2007 | Anwar | Anita |
| 2008 | Tulsi | Tulsi |
| Nagaram | Herself | Telugu |
| Sirf….Life Looks Greener on the Other Side | Devika | Hindi |
| Mehbooba | Varsha/Payal | Hindi |
| Khela | Sheela | Bengali |
| 2009 | Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish | Juhi |
| 2010 | Ek Second… Jo Zindagi Badal De? | Rashi |
| Dharmaa | Gauri | Nepali |
| Elektra | Diana | Malayalam |
| 2011 | Mappillai | Rajeswari |
| I Am | Rubaina | Hindi |
| 2012 | Bhoot Returns | Namrata |
| 2015 | Chehere: A Modern Day Classic | Tarana |
| 2016 | Game | Maya |
| Edavappathy | Sumithra/Mathangi | Malayalam |
| 2017 | Dear Maya | Maya Devi |
| 2018 | Lust Stories | Reena |
| Sanju | Nargis | Hindi |
| 2019 | Prassthanam | Saroj Pratap Singh |
| 2020 | Maska | Diana Irani |
| 2021 | 99 Songs | Psychologist |
| India Sweets and Spices | Sheila | English |
| 2022 | Shehzada † | TBA |
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Sawaal Dus Crore Ka | Co-host |
| 2003 | Larger Than Life | Herself |
| 2015 | Femina Miss India 2015 | Judge |