Manisha Koirala

Manisha B. Koirala (born August 16, 1970) is a Nepali-Indian actress who works in Indian films, as well as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and social activist. Koirala has primarily worked in Hindi cinema, though she has appeared in several Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam films as well. She is also an accomplished Bharatnatyam and Manipuri dancer. Making her acting debut in the Nepali film Pheri Bhetaula (1989), Koirala made her Bollywood debut with the top-grossing drama Saudagar (1991). She went on to establish herself as one of the leading actresses with such mainstream films as 1942: A Love Story (1994), Agni Sakshi (1996) and Gupt (1997).
Recognised for her acting prowess, Koirala was noted for her performances in films like Bombay (1995), Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995), Khamoshi: The Musical (1996), Dil Se.. (1998) and Company (2002). She has won the Filmfare Critics' Award thrice and has received four nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress so far. Although box-office collections of her films have varied considerably, critics have noted that her niche as an actor remains unharmed irrespective of her commercial potent. Off-screen she is frequented in the media as being a "controversy’s child" with her bohemian stance and candid comments often described as "outspoken" and "bold".

Manisha Koirala was born in Kathmandu, Nepal, into the politically prominent Koirala family to Prakash Koirala and Sushma Koirala. Her grandfather Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala was the Prime Minister of Nepal during the late 1950s-early 1960s, as well as two of her late great-uncles, Girija Prasad Koirala and Matrika Prasad Koirala. She studied at Vasant Kanya Mahavidhyalaya (VKM), Varanasi until Class X. She stayed with her grandmother in Varanasi during her studies. After passing tenth standard she shifted to the Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi (APS). Her ambition was to be a doctor, but a modelling stint opened a career path into Bollywood.
Her brother Siddharth Koirala is also an actor, and collaborated with her once in the film Anwar.
In 2004, she returned from New York after receiving a diploma in filmmaking. She became a member of an independent documentary filmmaker's society.

Personal life

On June 19, 2010, Koirala married Samrat Dahal in a traditional ceremony held in Kathmandu. The couple spent their honeymoon in Finland. They met through the online social networking website, Facebook. She was reportedly engaged in 2001 to Crispin Conroy, the former Australian ambassador to Nepal, but they broke up later. There were also reports of her dating American speaker and author, Christopher Dorris, but that relationship also ended.

Social work

In September 1999, Koirala was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador. She is actively involved in social work, specifically working with organizations to promote women’s rights, prevention of violence against women, and also to prevent the human trafficking of Nepali girls for prostitution.

Awards

Won

• 1996, Filmfare Award for Best Actress – Tamil, Bombay
• 1996, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, Bombay
• 1997, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, Khamoshi: The Musical
• 1997, Star Screen Award Best Actress, Khamoshi: The Musical
• 2003, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, Company
• 2004, Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards, Best Actress, Escape From Taliban
• 2006, Gorkha Dakshin Bahu Honoured by the King of Nepal for achievement in the Indian Film Industry

Nominated

• 1995, Filmfare Best Actress Award, 1942: A Love Story
• 1996, Filmfare Best Actress Award, Akele Hum Akele Tum
• 1997, Filmfare Best Actress Award, Khamoshi: The Musical
• 1999, Filmfare Best Actress Award, Dil Se..

Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1989	Pheri Bhetaula		Nepali film
1991	Saudagar	Radha
1991	First Love Letter	Radha
1992	Yalgaar	Meghna Kumar
1993	Insaaniyat Ke Devta	Nisha
1993	Anmol	Anmol
1993	Dhanwan	Imli
1994	Yun Hi Kabhi	Pooja
1994	1942: A Love Story	Rajeshwari "Rajjo" Pathak	Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award
1994	Sangdil Sanam	Sanam
1994	Criminal	Sweta Kumar	Hindi/Telugu Bilingual film
1995	Bombay	Shaila Bano	Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance Filmfare Best Tamil Actress Award Tamil film
1995	Anokha Andaz	Reema
1995	Milan	Priya
1995	Guddu	Salina Gupta
1995	Ram Shastra	Anjali Sinha
1995	Akele Hum Akele Tum	Kiran Kumar	Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award
1996	Dushmani	Sapna Oberoi
1996	Agni Sakshi	Shubhangi/Madhu
1996	Majhdhaar	Radha Rai
1996	Khamoshi: The Musical	Annie	Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance Star Screen Award for Best Actress Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award
1996	Indian	Ishwarya	Tamil film - retitled Hindustani in Hindi
1997	Sanam	Sanam
1997	Loha	Special appearance
1997	Gupt: The Hidden Truth	Sheetal Choudhry
1997	Dil Ke Jharokhe Mein	Suman
1998	Yugpurush: A Man Who Comes Just Once in a Way	Sunita
1998	Salaakhen	Special appearance
1998	Achanak	Pooja
1998	Dil Se..	Meghna	Nominated—Filmfare Best Actress Award
1998	Maharaja	Shaili Mathur
1999	Kachche Dhaage	Rukhsana
1999	Lal Baadshah	Kiran (Life Insurance Agent)
1999	Laawaris	Anshu Mehra
1999	Jaihind	Sheetal
1999	Mudhalvan	Thenmozhi	Tamil film
1999	Kartoos	Mini
1999	Mann	Priya Verma
1999	Hindustan Ki Kasam	Roshanaara
2000	Champion	Sapna Khanna
2000	Khauff	Neha
2000	Baaghi	Rani
2000	Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar Ho Gaya	Manisha/Sapna Khanna
2001	Grahan	Paro, Parvati Shastri
2001	Chhupa Rustam: A Musical Thriller	Nisha
2001	Lajja	Vaidehi
2001	Aalavandhan	Sharmilee	Tamil film Cameo
2001	Moksha	Ritika Sanyal
2002	Company	Saroja	Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance
2002	Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani	Vasundhara/Divya (Nagin - The Female Serpant)
2002	Ek Chotisi Love Story	The Woman
2002	Baba	Chamundeeswari	Tamil film
2003	Escape From Taliban	Sushmita Bannerjee/Sayed Kamal
2003	Calcutta Mail	Sanjana
2003	Market	Muskaan Bano/Kaalia
2004	Paisa Vasool	Maria	Also producer
2004	Tum - A Dangerous Obsession	Kamini
2005	Chaahat - Ek Nasha	Mallika Arora
2005	Mumbai Express	Ahalya	Tamil film
2005	Mumbai Xpress	Ahalya
2005	Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story	Jahan Ara
2005	Anjaane - The Unknown	Shivani Malhotra
2006	Darwaza Bandh Rakho	Julie
2007	Anwar	Anita
2008	Tulsi: Mathrudevobhava	Tulsi
2008	Nagaram	Special appearance	Telugu film
2008	Sirf....Life Looks Greener On The Other Side	Devika
2008	Mehbooba	Varsha
2008	Khela	Sheela	Bengali film
2010	Ek Second... Jo Zindagi Badal De?	Rashi
2010	Dharmaa		Nepali film
2010	Elektra	Diana	Malayalam film
2011	Mappillai	Rajeshwari	Tamil film
2011	I Am	Rubina
2012	Do Paise Ki Dhoop, Chaar Aane Ki Baarish	Juhi
2012	Edavappathy		Malayalam film Filming
2012	BHHOOoo.!		Filming