Manisha Koirala opens up about her battle with ovarian cancer: ‘I felt like I was going to die’

Latest update:November 06, 2024 02:57 PM IST

Manisha Koirala said she was deeply shocked when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012.

Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. (Photo credit: Instagram)

Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala spoke about her cancer recovery journey in an interview. In 2012, she was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer. The news came as a sudden shock, leaving her struggling with fear and uncertainty as the actress felt like she was “dying.”

“I was diagnosed in 2012 and had no idea it was late stage ovarian cancer. And when I was diagnosed in Nepal, I was very scared, obviously like everyone else, extremely scared. We were at Jaslok Hospital. There also, when the doctors came, two, three doctors, the best doctors, and talked to them, I felt that I was going to die. And I felt that this was the end of me,” she said in an interview with ANI.

“We knew some two or three famous people, figures, we knew that they went to New York and underwent treatment. And my grandfather also went to Sloan Kettering and received treatment,” she added.

The Dil Se actress spent nearly six months in New York undergoing treatment, which also included a complex 11-hour surgery. She said that her doctor “managed to preserve” the Rudraksha mala that her mother brought from Nepal after performing prayers. After the operation, he noticed that “this mala works wonders.”

Manisha thanked her doctor for giving her hope during her treatment. She recalled how, in her darkest moments, she was often overcome by hopelessness, pain and fear.

“I remember many times I failed and saw only darkness… hopelessness, pain and fear. And she was the one who kept saying, “Manisha, you are doing well.” You know, your medicine is working on you,” she said.

During the interview, the actress explained how surviving cancer changed the way she viewed her career. She realized that if life gave her a “second chance,” she wanted to put her best effort into her work. This journey forced her to give it her all, especially in her role in Hiramandi. She also admitted that she felt responsible for disappointing her fans by starring in “bad films” and was determined to make amends.

“I prayed that if I got a second chance, I really wanted to do my best and not disappoint my fans. So, I felt that Hiramandi was what I needed. I really put my best effort into it,” she added.

On the professional front, Manisha Koirala was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hiramandi: The Diamond Bazaar. Apart from Manisha, the series also stars Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmeen Seagal Mehta and Taha Shah Badushsha.