Manisha Koirala reveals she went through one year of therapy after ovarian cancer: ‘Opened my eyes’

Bollywood actor Manisha Koirala opened up about mental wellness in an interview, revealing she underwent therapy for a year after battling cancer. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Talking about tumultuous phases of her career, she recalled a friend suggested that she could be experiencing depression, which pushed her towards seeking professional help.

Manisha Koirala on handling ups and downs in her career

Manisha Koirala told Filmfare about the highs and lows of her career, "I don’t think I was immune to all that or I had any kind of support system to really fathom what was going on. I only had to live through it.” 

After battling cancer, Manisha said she realised the importance of mental health. “One of my friends, who is an artist, suggested, ‘Manisha, I think you’re depressed and why don’t you go through therapy?’ I was game. I said yes, I want to, because I don’t want anything that is lurking and I’ve not paid attention to,” she said. “I went through one year of therapy and it really opened my eyes," the actress added.

“When we have a physical ailment, we go to the doctor. We don’t try to heal it ourselves. Mental health is the same; there are experts who can guide you.” “That old school of going to an extreme and putting them in a box is gone," she also said about changing times.

Manisha Koirala's cancer battle

Manisha was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in 2012. She underwent treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York and recovered in 2013-2015. 

Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar

She was last seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's web series debut, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, in the role of Mallikajaan. The series featured an ensemble cast including Manisha Koirala alongside Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Sharmin Segal, and Taha Shah Badussha.

Farida Jalal, Fardeen Khan, Adhyayan Suman, Shekhar Suman and Pratibha Ranta were also a part of the season.

The film premiered on Netflix last year and received mixed reviews from critics and viewers. Later, the series was renewed for a second season, as per reports.

The actress is yet to announce a new project.