‘I thought I’d die,’ says Manisha Koirala as she recalls the night she found out about having stage IV ovarian cancer: ‘Scariest, Darkest space, very lonely’
Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in 2012. The actor had travelled to New York for treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She completed her final chemotherapy session in April 2013 and was subsequently declared cancer-free. But in a recent interview, Koirala has opened up on her journey and what she went through when she found out about having Cancer.
She revisited the moment she first learnt about her diagnosis at Nepal’s Norvic International Hospital. She recalled how the night that followed became one of the most difficult experiences of her life, as she confronted the possibility of death.
“I was in the hospital and I was told I had cancer”. That night, for me, was the loneliest and longest night. It just felt like a dark space. I felt I was going to die. In that moment, it is the scariest, darkest space — very, very lonely,” Koirala recalled in an interview with Sushant Pradhan.
Manisha Koirala was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in 2012, a moment she has described as deeply frightening and emotionally overwhelming. She was initially diagnosed in Nepal after experiencing symptoms including abdominal discomfort and bloating.
After receiving the diagnosis, Koirala travelled to New York for treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Her treatment included major surgery followed by chemotherapy. According to the cancer centre, she underwent an extensive operation to remove visible tumours and then received six cycles of chemotherapy.
She received her final chemotherapy treatment on April 30, 2013, and was declared cancer-free. Her recovery continued afterward, and she eventually returned to acting in 2017.
Koirala made her Hindi film debut with Subhash Ghai’s ‘Saudagar’ in 1991 and went on to establish herself as one of the most respected actors of her generation. Her filmography includes acclaimed performances in below movies.
- 1942: A Love Story
- Akele Hum Akele Tum
- Khamoshi: The Musical
- Bombay
- Agni Sakshi
- Gupt
- Dil Se
- ‘Mann
- Lajja
- Company
- Escape from Taliban’
Today, Koirala’s cancer journey is remembered not simply as a story about illness, but as a story of treatment, family support, emotional resilience and rebuilding her life after a life-changing diagnosis. Her willingness to speak openly about her experience has also helped bring greater public attention to ovarian cancer.
