Manisha Koirala on being called Madhuri Dixit’s lookalike: ‘I wasn’t flattered’

When Manisha Koirala debuted in Subhash Ghai’s 1991 film Saudagar, she was often called a Madhuri Dixit lookalike. In an interview with ANI, Manisha talked about how she reacted to that comparison initially. (Also Read: Shah Rukh Khan’s Dil Se co-star Manisha Koirala reveals he wasn’t supposed to die in Mani Ratnam film)
“Honestly, those days, I wasn’t flattered. But today, I am. Because she is so beautiful. She is so graceful. And not only that, she is a wonderful woman. As a person, I just love her. And it was quite an honour.” Manisha said she was a “rebel” when she first came into movies, and wanted to walk in a different direction that what people suggested her to.
However, years later, when she shared screen space with Madhuri in Rajkumar Santoshi’s 2001 crime drama Lajja, she was more receptive. “By then, I had also matured. My eyes had opened and I was seeing, my goodness, such a humble person. Super talented and so beautiful,” Manisha added. She said she worked really hard to dance alongside Madhuri in their memorable song Badi Mushkil.
Manisha eventually learnt that Madhuri was instrumental in her securing her big break in Bollywood. “She is marvellous. I love her. Also, the fact that later on, I got to know that she had recommended my name. She had seen me in Rakesh Shrestha’s photoshoot. And she had actually told Subhash (Ghai) Ji that I’ve seen one girl, ‘You should see her for Saudagar’. That’s how Subhash Ji called for my photograph from Rakesh Shrestha.”
“Saudagar was a good experience. I was too young, too naive, right out of my 12th standard. I was 18 or 19 with no exposure to life, no exposure to anything. I was very fearful. I was very scared. I wanted to keep everybody at a distance,” Manisha added. Interestingly, three years after her debut, Manisha would go on to replace Madhuri in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 1994 period romantic film 1942: A Love Story.
Recently, Manisha was seen as Mallika Jaan in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s debut web series Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar on Netflix India. Meanwhile, Madhuri last starred in Anees Bazmee’s blockbuster horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3.