Nepalese beauty and Bollywood star Manisha Koirala has publicly supported Nepal's King Gyanendra and his February coup.

In a front-page interview Tuesday in the Rising Nepal daily, the mouthpiece of the government, Manisha lashed out at the political parties as well as the Nepali Congress for pulling up her father, Prakash Koirala. Her father was earlier this month expelled by his Nepali Congress party for a year for supporting the king.

"Our beloved and respected king had to take the step to stop anarchy," she was quoted as saying, referring to the royal takeover.

Manisha belongs to one of the best-known political families of Nepal. Her grandfather Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala was the first elected prime minister of Nepal who was sacked and jailed by the late king Mahendra, King Gyanendra's father.

She is also the grandniece of Girija Prasad Koirala, four time former premier of Nepal, leader of the Nepali Congress party and the most outspoken critic of the king. The Nepali Congress is spearheading an agitation against the royal takeover together with six other major parliamentary parties.

In the interview, done by e-mail, the actress reportedly said the king was "an epitome of selflessness", putting monarchy at stake and taking control to "stop the country from falling into disgrace".

Manisha reportedly said she believed the monarch, who has promised to restore democracy once there was peace and security in the country, and felt the royal coup could "plant stronger roots of democracy in a more fertile land".

Lashing out at the political parties and their agitation, she reportedly said: "In the name of fighting for people's rights, they are actually fighting to be in power... If they are for the people, they should jointly launch a movement against the Maoists and do it in grief-stricken villages."

She also reportedly said in the 12 years the parties were in power, instead of trying to restore peace and security, each prime minister spent "huge sums to throw the other out of power".

The actress was reported to have wondered at how politicians with no earnings could amass huge properties, expensive cars and other assets.

Criticising her father's ouster from the Nepali Congress, she reportedly said "it was unfortunate that those preaching democracy" can't brook differences in opinion in their own ranks and files.

Manisha reportedly suggested ways for resolving the Maoist problem as well. "It may be through dialogue or through the army but no other alternative," the daily quoted her as saying.

--Indo-Asian News Service