Manisha Koirala, Cancer-Free, Returns To India After Successful Treatment In NYC

Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala has returned to her home in the Versova neighborhood of Mumbai, India, eight months after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Koirala spent the past six months in New York City undergoing chemotherapy sessions to fight the disease. In May, she announced she was “cancer free.”

“I burst out crying when I heard 'cancer free,'” Koirala wrote on her Facebook page. “I still have a long way to go in regaining my health, slowly and steadily. With your prayers and blessings I received during this phase I am sure that day too will come!!”

After successfully battling the disease, Koirala decided to return home to resume her life and career.

“Manisha has landed in India and she is absolutely fine now. She is looking as gorgeous as she was before,” Subroto Ghosh, Manisha's manager, told IANS.

In an interview with American Bazaar, Koirala said she wanted to use her status as a celebrity to raise awareness of the disease and support others battling cancer.

“All I want to do from now onwards is to be useful to people who could use a little advice,” she said. “My family and I had no clue how to cope or deal with cancer and its treatments, but since I was a celebrity, people reached out with lot of information. I chose the ones from ex-cancer patients as I knew only they and their caregivers know what it is like to be affected by cancer.”

Manisha Koirala, 42, is best known for starring in a slew of successful Bollywood films, including “1942: A Love Story,” “Bombay,” “Dil Se..,” “Akele Hum Akele Tum,” and “Gupt: The Hidden Truth.” She is also noted for her charitable work with a number of organizations that support women’s rights and the prevention of human trafficking and violence against women. She was appointed as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in 1999.