Manisha takes to painting, to hold her first exhibition

Mumbai, Dec 7 (IANS) Coping with married life in Kathmandu has been the most challenging role of Manisha Koirala's career. To make the hours seem less stretched-out in the soporific town, she has taken to painting.

'It all started as just another form of self-expression. When I liked the feel of the brush against the canvas, I decided to get more professional about it,' said Manisha, who tied the knot with Nepali businessman Samrat Dahal in a traditional Nepali ceremony in June.

Post-marriage she moved to Kathmandu and now spends a major part of the day at the easel.

In fact, Manisha, 40, has got herself a tutor.

'Can you believe it? My painting guru is from Maharashtra! It's more than a hobby now. It's a growing passion. I don't know where it will take me. But then I've always followed my heart,' said the actress who will soon stage her first painting exhibition.

Just back from Goa where she represented her first Malayalam film 'Electra' at the International Film Festival of India, Manisha is hungering to get back to the limelight.

'I guess once an actor always an actor. I got an overwhelming response to 'Electra' in Goa. It's a very different role. I had to play a mother and a woman who has an extra-marital affair. I was advised not to do it. But now I am so happy with the way the film has shaped up,' said the actress, who is also persuading the director Shyamaprasad to remake the film in Hindi.

Manisha has recently gifted herself a brand new car.

'I'm so happy with the way my film has been received in Goa I've gifted myself a yellow Volkswagen Beetle car.'

There were rumours that Manisha's marriage is in trouble. But close friends claim she is doing her best to work things out with her husband. The problem, say friends, is the joint family and Manisha is trying hard to blend into Samrat's family.

'While it's been easy for Manisha to adjust being a wife, blending into a her husband's family has been far more difficult. But she's trying. Manisha desperately wants to make the marriage work,' said a source close to her.