Manisha Koirala
When I'm in Kathmandu, I go out into the hills and go trekking.
Life is full of risks, and often, you have to take them. Just don't be scared of taking one.
I'm a Hindu and a Nepali by birth.
Cancer definitely rekindled my spirit. It made me realise that every human being has the capacity to overcome a huge setback.
I love watching the sunrise and sunset and the sky, the birds.
After being diagnosed with cancer, one is in a lot of fear and anxiety about the anticipated pain and the painful treatment.
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.
One of the many joys of being an actor is to understand the human psychology.
It's not that I am a difficult person; it's just that I have certain strong likes and dislikes.
I have to tell you this - as a teenager, I never used to see any horror films till I started acting in films.
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.
In the film industry, we work more on the basis of good faith and verbal commitments rather than legalities.
I don't believe in harbouring ill feelings about anyone.
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.
I don't have sugar and try to avoid it as much as possible. At home, I don't have it at all.
I am a foodie, but my antennas are always up regarding the healthy and nutritional values of food.
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.'
It was a wonderful experience acting with Prasenjit Chatterjee, the reigning king of Kolkata's film industry.
I am keen to do roles that are down-to-earth, appealing, and sensitive.
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 wanted to be a complete person and realised that the well-being of mental health is extremely important in achieving that.
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.
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.
If I am exhausted, I will pamper myself, take an extra nap, eat well, take a spa treatment.
We should value what we have and not take it for granted.
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.
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.
Whether I live long or short is not the question: what quality that I surrounded myself is!
When you're sick, you actually realize how important health is.
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.
Creative people are more emotionally charged, so I am a super sensitive person.
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.
Procrastinating is a habit that I have to overcome.
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.
For growth, I need to be challenged and excited about the project. I need to venture out into unknown territories.
I've been constantly under male gaze. In our movies, women are constantly objectified.
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.
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.
I don't watch too many films.
I think cancer came into my life as a gift. My vision is sharper, my mind clearer, my perspective realigned.
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.
For a young, unexposed Nepalese girl, Bollywood was a terrifying experience.
I was ahead of my classmates in some ways. While they were enjoying Mills & Boons, I was reading Ayn Rand.
When I got to know about my cancer, I was at the rock bottom of my life, and my work suffered for it.
There's no substitute to hard work.
I always wanted to be an acclaimed artist and to be at the top of my game.
I found that this life is a gift, and everything that comes with it is a gift.
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.
I take care of my health. I nurture it.