A photoactive manganese carbonyl complex derived from dansylimidazole (Imdansyl), namely, [Mn(Imdansyl)(CO)(3)(phen)](CF3SO3) (1), has been synthesized and structurally characterized. This is the first luminescent manganese carbonyl-based photoCORM reported in the literature. This complex exhibits CO release under the exclusive control of low power broadband visible light. The corresponding rhenium carbonyl complex, namely, [Re(Imdansyl)(CO)(3)(phen)](CF3SO3) (2), has also been reported, which is luminescent but sensitive only to UV-B (lambda<315 nm) light. The entry of the manganese photoCORM into the human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (HT-29) has been demonstrated with the aid of fluorescence microscopy. Irradiation of the photoCORM-loaded cancer cells to visible light leads to a dose-dependent apoptotic cell death.