Manali spent her childhood in Picnic Garden, Kolkata. However, later she moved from there. She is the only child of her parents Nitai Dey and Manisha Dey. She completed her Secondary exams from Oxford House, Ballygunge, Kolkata. In the meantime, she had already started her acting career and became extremely busy. This made her unable to continue her study in the regular mode and so, she was admitted to Amrit Academy, Kankurgachi, which is a private open-board school. From here, she completed her higher secondary examination. She got her dancing lessons from her mother and Madhumita Roy. At this time, she was having a very tough schedule managing her education as well as career. Later, on 29 November 2012, Manali married singer Saptak Bhattacharjee. The couple have separated.

Manali made her acting debut in the Bengali film Kali Aamar Maa in 1999 where she played the role of a child. After this, she became very interested in acting and made it her aim of life. She made her first breakthrough as a model for the Bengali magazine Unish-Kuri, while carrying on her school life. After making some few photos for the magazine, Manali got a call from Ravi Ojha's production house for working in Bengali television. Later on, she was cast in the Bengali television serial Neer Bhanga Jhor, which was aired on Star Jalsha. Since then, she had been cast in a number of Bengali films and television serials.

Manali has acted in several Bengali films since 1999.

Manali has also acted in a number of Bengali television serials.

• Ritabhari Chakraborty
• Mimi Chakraborty
• Sampurna Lahiri
• Parno Mittra
• Ridhima Ghosh
• Surjit Saha
• Tina Dutta