After her marriage Manisha Koirala now plans to spend more time in her home-town Katmandu than in Mumbai.

One of Bollywood’s most beautiful and footloose divas Manisha Koirala is all set to get married finally. Just back in Mumbai after an extensive shoot in Kerala for Malayalam film Manisha can barely contain her excitement.

She says, “Yes, I’m getting married to Samrat. He’s from Nepal, like me. But please, it is not an arranged marriage. Yes, our families know one another for some years now. So there was a comfort level between me and Samrat for a very long time. Gradually the bonding grew from friendship to love. And when Samrat asked me to marry him I agreed.”

Manisha returned to Mumbai from Kerala on Wednesday morning to the news of her marriage all over the place.

She laughs, “I was totally cut off in Kerala shooting for Shayam Prasad’s Malayalam film. I had no idea my marriage plans were being discussed in my absence. Now I see dates and venue in the papers. Like I said the wedding is on June 19. It will take place in Katmandu and will be attended by Samrat’s and my close family and friends.”

Manisha will now spend more time in Katmandu. “That’s where Samrat is based. He is into many kinds of business ventures including a project in alternate energy. So yes, one thing will change. Mumbai used to be my first home. Now Katmandu will be my first home. But I’ll continue to be a Mumbai girl at heart and will have a home here.”

So is her dream of a home in Paris over?

“No way!” says the fiery Nepali beauty. “My dream home in Paris has just been postponed for a while. Now instead of me alone it will be my husband and I sharing a Parisian home.”

In fact, the couple plans to honeymoon in France.

Speaking on cutting down her work Manisha says, “I’ve been cutting down my assignments for a few years now. So it is not as if I’ve been working frantically. I will continue to do selected films after marriage.”

As forthright as ever Manisha volunteers the information that she broke up with her last boyfriend, the American Chris Dolan long ago. “We split quite some time ago. But we continue to be friends. That’s the way I like it in my life. Even when a relationships ends, the friendship continues. I don’t like any negativity around me. I’d like all my friends to wish Samrat and me a happy married life.”

Samrat apparently is shy of the limelight. “He had his picture removed from a social networking website as soon as our marriage was announced. Samrat will have to get used to public attention after we get married.”

- Subhash K Jha / Sampurn Wire