Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India]: Manisha Koirala has been in the industry for more than three decades. Her association with films was even before that as she grew up watching films with her grandmother. She recalled how her entire family and former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar went to watch a movie in the theatre.
Koirala, who was born into a politically influential family, opened up about her memorable meeting with former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar.
She said, ” I have grown up watching Hindi cinema. My dadi (grandmother) was a film buff. So, in Banaras, every Sunday, she and I would go and watch a movie. There used to be me, Dadi, and two or three people.”
Manisha recalled how the former PM visited her place and the entire family went to watch a film with him.
“Chandra Shekhar ji was my grandfather’s friend. So, once he came to Banaras (Varanasi) to stay with us and on Sunday, I along with my dadi, and dada ji (grandfather) went to watch a film. We booked the hall in the theatre and watched the film. It was Manoj Kumar ji’s and Hema Malini’s film.”
Manisha made her acting debut with the Nepali film ‘Pheri Bhetaula’, and went on to feature in Subhash Ghai’s 1991 film ‘Saudagar’.
Recalling her experience of working in the film’, she shared, “‘Saudagar’ was a good experience. I was too young, too naive, right out of my 12th standard. I was 18 or 19 with no exposure to life, no exposure to anything. I was very fearful. I was very scared. I wanted to keep everybody at a distance.”
With movies such as ‘1942: A Love Story’, ‘Bombay’, ‘Khamoshi: The Musical’, ‘Gupt’, ‘Dil Se’, and many more, Manisha had a successful acting career.
Manisha is currently being lauded for her role as Mallika Jaan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut web series ‘Heeramandi’.
In the show, Manisha shared screen space with Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Aditi Rao Hydari among others. Set against the backdrop of India’s struggle for independence in the 1940s, the show explores the lives of courtesans and their patrons, delving into the cultural dynamics of Heera Mandi.