I take care of my health. I nurture it.
— Manisha Koirala
I always wanted to be an acclaimed artist and to be at the top of my game.
I was ahead of my classmates in some ways. While they were enjoying Mills & Boons, I was reading Ayn Rand.
I think cancer came into my life as a gift. My vision is sharper, my mind clearer, my perspective realigned.
Every actor prepares a scene in their own way. For me, it's about understanding the scenario, the room I'm going to be working in, the obstacles in and around the frame, etc.
One of the many joys of being an actor is to understand the human psychology.
Procrastinating is a habit that I have to overcome.
Creative people are more emotionally charged, so I am a super sensitive person.
Cancer makes you realise that you will be dead one day. It's so common seeing people dying and falling sick, but we aren't really ever able to comprehend it ourselves. The realisation that I am here for a certain period of time and will be gone after that made me value my time and life.
We think till the last minute that nothing can happen to us. But cancer will grab you by surprise, and then it's too late.
We should value what we have and not take it for granted.
I had kept notes during my cancer treatment, but I wasn't sure what my outcome was going to be. A part of me wasn't sure if I would make it into a book. If it was going to be morbid, I wouldn't want to tell it.
Looks matter a lot, and it has always mattered. We always judge. I have not only been on the receiving end, but I have also judged others.
I am keen to do roles that are down-to-earth, appealing, and sensitive.
I am a foodie, but my antennas are always up regarding the healthy and nutritional values of food.
After being diagnosed with cancer, one is in a lot of fear and anxiety about the anticipated pain and the painful treatment.
In the film industry, we work more on the basis of good faith and verbal commitments rather than legalities.
We need to live our truth. We need to discover ourselves. And no matter how much you prepare for everything, life will always find a way to surprise you.
There's no substitute to hard work.
For a young, unexposed Nepalese girl, Bollywood was a terrifying experience.
I have to tell you this - as a teenager, I never used to see any horror films till I started acting in films.
On the sets, I used to scare people. I team up with my level of people and sometimes do spooky things. I've inherited this from my mother, as she used to scare my neighbours by dressing up like a ghost.
For growth, I need to be challenged and excited about the project. I need to venture out into unknown territories.
During cancer, when I was flat out on the bed, I was so helpless. I wanted to do things my way, but it was not happening. I learnt to trust the process of life and letting other people also sometimes take control. I became more easy-going.
I'll be very careful about what kind of energy I'm inviting into my life and whether it's going to be helpful for me or help me evolve as a person.
Whether I live long or short is not the question: what quality that I surrounded myself is!
I don't see things from a worm's perspective but a bird's perspective. I smile at problems.
If I am exhausted, I will pamper myself, take an extra nap, eat well, take a spa treatment.
Being diagnosed with cancer helped me identify all that was wrong in my life. It also helped me search for the solutions. I discovered self-love; I learned to prioritise myself over others and, most importantly, realised that I had to love myself first before somebody else loves me.
Cancer definitely rekindled my spirit. It made me realise that every human being has the capacity to overcome a huge setback.
It was a wonderful experience acting with Prasenjit Chatterjee, the reigning king of Kolkata's film industry.
I don't have sugar and try to avoid it as much as possible. At home, I don't have it at all.
I like working with creative people who are receptive to new ideas, who want to do things that are different, who want to create films of a different mould.
It's not that I am a difficult person; it's just that I have certain strong likes and dislikes.
I found that this life is a gift, and everything that comes with it is a gift.
When I got to know about my cancer, I was at the rock bottom of my life, and my work suffered for it.
The poor lifestyle I had been leading made my body susceptible to diseases. Had it not been cancer, some other malady would have struck me.
I don't watch too many films.
I've been constantly under male gaze. In our movies, women are constantly objectified.
I am very content being single. I don't feel the need of someone absolutely having to be with me to make me feel like a woman.
I knew right from the beginning that if I was going to write a book, I would write my version of the truth and then put it out there for people to decide if they will accept it or hate me.
When you're sick, you actually realize how important health is.
I just don't want to be known as the face for cancer. It is one part of my life. Yes, it was a major part because it changed me a lot, but that is not all my life.
With my mom and dad around, I became a child yet again.
I love watching the sunrise and sunset and the sky, the birds.
I wanted to be a complete person and realised that the well-being of mental health is extremely important in achieving that.
I believe there is a time for everything. Time changes, and you need to accept that. Else, you stagnate.
I am a great fan of Rituparno's films and have always nurtured a wish of acting in his films. I was very impressed with his 'Chokher Bali,' 'Bariwali,' and 'Raincoat.'
I cannot digest too much junk food. I just have it once in a blue moon.
I don't believe in harbouring ill feelings about anyone.
