Showing posts with label Lakshmi Manchu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lakshmi Manchu. Show all posts
Lakshmi Manchu breaks silence after filiing a complaint over ageist and body-shaming remarks during an interview
9:48 AM
HINDUSTAN TIMES (September 18, 2025)
Actor Lakshmi Manchu recently called out a reporter during an interview with Great Andhra for repeatedly questioning her choice of clothing. The reporter suggested that the 47-year-old’s move to Mumbai had changed the way she dresses, to which Lakshmi responded by pointing out that she had lived in America before returning to Hyderabad and then relocating to Mumbai. She explained that she has worked hard to look the way she does and feels confident dressing as she pleases.
But the reporter persisted, bringing up her age and the fact that she’s a mother, implying that such choices naturally invite criticism. Lakshmi then responded with a question of her own: “Would you ask a man the same question? How dare you! How dare you ask me that question? Would you say, Mahesh Babu, you are 50 now, why are you going shirtless? Then, how do you ask a woman the same thing? People learn from what you have asked me here today. As a journalist, be more responsible in the position you take.”
She went on to highlight the double standards faced by women in the industry, saying, “I know a superstar’s ex-wife who’s still in the industry. After her divorce, the films she was once offered were taken away because they feel her ex-husband might feel bad. She is waiting for good work. A man will never face that; his life will never change. But as a woman, no one gives us freedom; we have to take it on our own.” While she didn’t name the actor, many online speculated she was referring to Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who was previously married to actor Naga Chaitanya.
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Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 22, 2025)
On September 16, actor and producer Lakshmi Manchu filed a complaint with the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) over alleged ageist and body-shaming remarks she faced during the promotions of her film, Daksha: The Deadly Conspiracy. She said that the incident happened on September 15 when an interview with a journalist for a local Telugu channel turned into a 20-minute ordeal where the questions centred on her appearance, clothes, and age.
In her complaint, terming the interview as “an attack”, Manchu wrote, “Instead of engaging with the film, the craft, or the effort behind bringing this project to life, he chose to belittle me — targeting my age, my body, my clothes... His questions had no intent of understanding my work; they were designed only to provoke, demean, and diminish.” She ended the letter by urging the chamber to take disciplinary action against the journalist.
Recalling the experience to mid-day, Manchu said that she had walked into the interview expecting a chat about her film, sharing screen space with her father Mohan Babu, and their craft. She shared, “But when the focus shifted to my personal life and my age, I realized the intent was not to celebrate cinema but to diminish me as a woman. As an artiste, I’m used to critiquing my work. But when it becomes personal and derogatory, it’s dehumanizing. I had to summon every bit of composure I had because reacting in anger would only feed the narrative he wanted.”
There is no room for body-shaming and ageism — that is the message the actor wants to send out by registering a complaint with the TFCC.
She said, “Subtle forms of body-shaming and ageism are something most women in our industry deal with regularly, whether it’s being told we’re ‘too old’, ‘too pretty’, or ‘too tall’ for certain roles or being compared unfairly to men who continue to be celebrated at every age. But this was the first time I encountered such targeted shaming in a professional interview. It was an abuse of the platform he was given.”
When asked about the kind of action she wants taken, she said, “I need an apology and accountability for the hurtful words he used.”
I have begged women to scream, say no, come out and say this is wrong-Lakshmi Manchu
3:25 PM
In wake of the shocking claims of the Justice Hema Committee report, actor Lakshmi Manchu talks about sexual misconduct against women working in the industry that they have witnessed first-hand
Mugdha Kapoor (HINDUSTAN TIMES; August 23, 2024)
Reacting to the Justice Hema Committee report, actor Lakshmi Manchu says “what has been okay for all these years is not okay anymore” and that she “encourages, pleads and begs women to scream, say no, come out and say this is wrong” for change to be brought about.
Talking about how women in the industry have always faced inappropriate advances and exploitation, Manchu, who made her Malayalam debut in 2022 with the film Monster, says, “I know girls who have been approached for favours. We’ve talked about it when we’ve gotten together and spoken about how dirty it was, but how they’ve managed to get out of it.”
Manchu recognises the hazard that speaking out entails — from loss of “bread and butter” to even threat to life — calling it a “double-edged sword”.
“We’ve been burnt, called witches, put fear in and silenced,” says the actor, adding, however, that now women must seize the day and question it. “It takes one moment to stand up and say, ‘What is this?’ And then for us to come together and support that. But if you’re going to keep quiet and say, ‘Chalo, iss baar, I’ll let it go for my benefit,’ you’re contributing to the silencing of thousands of women.”
The 46-year-old goes on to share an incident where a well-known actor demanded a change in casting. “A journalist came to me and said that a very big actor who was shooting in Canada for a film they had already cast a female actor for — came and said, ‘No, that woman won’t give, cast somebody else’. So, where do we draw a line?” the actor recalls.
Although she is less familiar with the Malayalam film industry, she notes similar issues in Telugu and Tamil cinema. “There are cliques — this group won’t talk to that one. Men need to be in these cliques to make them feel like they are superpowers,” says Manchu, adding that despite these challenges, she is hopeful that these revelations will lead to change. She points to the impact of the Me Too movement in the Telugu industry, where significant changes were implemented.
“When the #MeToo movement happened, I remember that a lot of people in the industry, myself included, helped bring about a lot of change,” she concludes, adding that there is a need for continued vigilance and systemic reform.
The men in my family are scared of having me in their movies because I’ll outshine them-Lakshmi Manchu
9:32 AM
Lakshmi, who recently holidayed in Alto Paraiso de Goias in Brazil, says experience has inspired her to make adventure movie a la Indiana Jones
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 15, 2024)
A holiday is often rejuvenating, sometimes even mentally stimulating as you return home with a new perspective. For actor-producer Lakshmi Manchu, her Brazil vacation was just that. The actor—who has featured in American television shows Las Vegas and Desperate Housewives, and many Telugu offerings, including Lakshmi Bomb (2017)—visited Alto Paraíso de Goias in Brazil last month and says the region’s beauty has inspired to make an adventure movie set in a jungle.
To Manchu, staying near the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, replete with its lush greenery and stunning waterfalls, evoked multiple story ideas.
“I got a bunch of ideas sitting there. I’m back now and itching to call my writers for a jam session. The place has inspired me to make something like the Indiana Jones franchise. I find it incredibly rewarding to seek out new locations for shooting whenever I travel. I had mentioned to Manoj [Manchu, producer-brother] the abundance of incredible, unseen locations in Brazil. Travelling to such places often inspires new stories. During this trip, I immersed myself in the culture and lineage of the Umbanda [religion that is derived from Spiritism and combines elements of Afro-Brazilian religions], which has enriched my storytelling abilities with insight from my own culture. Right now, I’m pregnant with ideas and I’ll put this rich experience to use,” she says.
Her superstar-father Mohan Babu is producing Kannappa featuring Vishnu in the lead, with cameos by Akshay Kumar and Prabhas. Manchu quips, “I’m not a part of it. The men in my family are scared of having me in their movies because I’ll outshine them.”
She is instead focusing on a dark thriller for Disney+ Hotstar.
Lakshmi Manchu shifts base to Mumbai: "Dad (Mohan Babu) said ‘Why Mumbai? There is mafia’"
8:23 AM
Telugu actor Lakshmi Manchu shifts base to Mumbai to explore Hindi movies and web series
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; October 12, 2023)
The lines are blurring between Hindi and south film industries as Bollywood actors are taking a stab at south movies, and vice versa. Lakshmi Manchu then couldn’t have chosen a better time to shift base to Mumbai. Moving cities is a leap of faith, but the Telugu film actor says she needed to expand her horizons.
“I had to give Mumbai an honest shot. In the south, I have explored a wide range of roles, but I want to push the envelope. My lineage is a double-edged sword. My roles in the south come with certain limitations. In Mumbai, the range of work is wider. I am ready to explore web series and movies,” says the actor.
Manchu, Telugu star Mohan Babu’s daughter, comes with a 20-year acting career behind her. In the past 18 years, she has also taken on the role of a producer. But the 46-year-old wants to approach Bollywood with a clean slate.
“I’m open to auditions, and will hop from office to office for meetings. I’m not a star kid in Mumbai. There is substantial cross-industry work happening, and it’s a good time for me to start afresh.”
Her parents, she admits, were surprised by her decision. “First, I said I was thinking of going back to Los Angeles. My mom panicked. Then I told her that I’ll shift to Mumbai. Mom has always been my biggest champion. Dad said ‘Why Mumbai? There is mafia,’” she laughs, before adding, “He had fears like every father who doesn’t want his daughter to leave home.”
On Sunday, she threw a birthday-cum-house-warming party at her Bandra apartment that was attended by Sushmita Sen, Rakul Preet Singh, Taapsee Pannu, Kubbra Sait and Rana Daggubati.
I smacked the man because he deserved it-Lakshmi Manchu
8:37 AM
Sugandha Rawal (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 28, 2023)
A video has been doing the rounds of actor Lakshmi Manchu pushing a man who interrupts her interview on the red carpet of the recently held South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA) in Abu Dhabi. In the same clip, she can be heard saying to another passer-by, “Go behind the camera dude. Basic.”
The actor, who was in Delhi recently to witness the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the new Parliament, tells us: “That person knew very well that I was on a red carpet. It was not some random person taking a video. But he was so nonchalant and just walked through the camera. Never do that with any artiste. I smacked him because he deserved it.”
The 45-year-old says the host did ask the cameraperson not to record this bit. “I asked her to keep it. I can protect myself. I don’t care if it gets out,” says the Monster (2022) actor, daughter of veteran actor-producer Mohan Babu.
She acknowledges that everyone may not understand or agree with her actions. “I am not here to prove myself. I’m just here to live my life unapologetically,” Manchu signs off.
My dad approached me with the script, saying that I would be brilliant in the role-Lakshmi Manchu
8:09 AM
Telugu actor Lakshmi Manchu says teaming up with superstar-father Mohan Babu for Agni Nakshatram was an enriching experience
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; April 6, 2023)
How is the experience of sharing screen space with one’s superstar-father? Not easy, but one that she will cherish for a lifetime, says Lakshmi Manchu. The actor has teamed up with father Mohan Babu for her upcoming Telugu production, Agni Nakshatram. “We did many movies together when I was a child, but this is my first project, as an adult, with him. My dad approached me with the script, saying that I would be brilliant in the role. I was touched,” she begins.
Directed by Vamsee Krishna Malla, the action thriller sees Manchu as a super cop who is pitted against Babu’s vigilante character. The film is slated for a pan-India release later this year.
Manchu admits that working with her father was one hell of a ride. “I didn’t have grey hair before this movie, but now I do,” she laughs, before adding, “He would joke that we were not paying him enough, and I would say that I wouldn’t put up with that kind of attitude if we did. That said, it’s a dream come true for me. Whenever dad comes on screen, he is magic.”
She is unwilling to reveal much about their roles, only stating, “There is a tug of war between our characters.” Manchu is more forthcoming about plans of remaking the movie in Hindi with Bollywood actors. “We are in talks with studios who want to buy the rights of Agni Nakshatram, but we are waiting for the highest bidder. I don’t want to say anything until I have signed on the dotted line.”
Is Bollywood on the radar for her? She replies in the affirmative, saying, “I want to do roles that push my limits as an actor. I have done Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam films. I’m always up for new languages and genres.”
I wish there were more yoga studios than beauty parlours in this country-Lakshmi Manchu
8:06 AM
Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 26, 2022)
While shooting for one of her upcoming projects in Kerala over a week ago, actor Lakshmi Manchu decided to train herself in Kalaripayattu, the oldest form of martial art. She tells us, “I had the most amazing opportunity to be in Kerala and have access to a teacher (Krishnadas Vallabhatta), who is the head of the Kerala Kalaripayattu Association. I would wake up at 5 in the morning, finish my training and go to work.”
Talking about her experience of learning the martial art form, Manchu says, “This form of exercise improves your breath, strength and control; it’s like a prayer using your whole body. It’s not about how many moves you can make but about making use of it to help you focus. And it’s not like a regular workout. The way my teacher used to come at me with full force resulted in me hurting myself way too many times (laughs).”
Though keen on continuing her training sessions, the 44-year-old worries about the lack of a culture rich in such physical and spiritual practices in India. “There are not many teachers. Leave alone Kalaripayattu, I don’t even get good yoga teachers who can accompany me when I go out for shoots,” she says, adding, “I wish there were more yoga studios than beauty parlours in this country. There are more studios in Los Angeles (USA) than all of India put together!”
The Pitta Kathalu (2021) actor feels that it’s imperative to hold on to the traditional forms of exercises so that they don’t die down. “Kalari is the oldest form of martial art known to humankind; it’s way older than karate and kung fu. If you go to Shaolin Temple (China), you will see Kalaripayattu poses inscribed on them. The world celebrates us but we don’t embrace ourselves,” she ends.
Manchu with her teacher
Rana Daggubati's newly launched YouTube channel to pay tribute to his love for animation
8:00 AM
Actor Rana Daggubati as his animated version on South Bay
Rana Daggubati, who now has his own YouTube channel to pay tribute to his love for animation, talks comics, superheroes and all things geeky
Aastha Atray Banan (MID-DAY; November 22, 2020)
When we sat down to chat with Bahubali actor Rana Daggubati on Zoom last week, a minute into the interview, we wondered who the figure in the mural on the wall behind him was. It turns out that it's George Lucas, Star Wars creator. He then flashed the cover of his mobile phone on the screen, also Star Wars inspired. "I was into this much before I became an actor in 2006. I actually had a VFX company. But back then, animation was only meant for kids," he tells us.
Daggubati plans to change this with South Bay. His just-launched YouTube channel headquartered in Hyderabad, and run by a team of eight, will host live chats, news for millennials, music, animation, fiction, and non-fiction, all in animated form. The language, he says, will appeal to the young viewer, addressing the many subcultures that exist in the country while offering a global perspective. Hinglish, a mix of Tamil and English and Telugu and English is what the team is considering.
He has roped in famous faces and influencers on board as content creators, including actors Shruti Haasan and Lakshmi Manchu, who will work as collaborators. Haasan hosts Secret Box, a show that goes into the minds of India's finest indie musicians. Manchu's Coming Back To Life sees her talk to celebrities from India and the world, with the first conversation between Taapsee Pannu and Sendhil Ramamurthy. Musicians can use South Bay as a streaming platform, sharing their indie content with listeners. Sublime Collective hopes to find the best of indie music talent from across the country. Why Are You? is an animated talk show, that involves mainstream actors and directors, and turns the concept on its head some days, by making it fictional or nonsensical. One episode sees Daggubati's animated avatar interviewing filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, who speaks about controversies surrounding his life and career.
Other than the phenomenal spike in OTT viewing during the lockdown, that makes this a timely business opportunity, Daggubati says, India has had a fan base for shows like South Park and Bojack Horseman. "So, why not create that kind of content here itself? Also, India has been divided between alternative and mainstream. So, at South Bay, we are combining both, while using animation. Look at me, I grew up on heavy metal and Rajnikanth! Young creators are helping us marry these two genres."
As a kid growing up in Chennai, Daggubati admits he read everything except school books. The first comic he became a fan of was Phantom ("even though I hated the movie"). "Back then, comics were a challenge to come by. Usually, their pages were used for packaging goods that came to us from America." He started reading Marvel comics, with Black Panther being a favourite. But he also read Tintin and Amar Chitra Katha. As he grew older, he found MAD magazine, which used humour and comic book treatment to publish satire. "It offered new world exposure in one shot. For a long time after that, it became my go-to Bible. For a boy living in Hyderabad and Chennai, it became a window to the world. So, South Bay is a sort of tribute to that."
Personally, Daggubati binged on The Simpsons and South Park, both of which arrived in India via the cable television revolution of the 1990s. "These seemed to us as ahead of their times, because the creators had the freedom to create and say what they wished. It was my introduction to American life. It helped me gauge what was happening in the US, Russia, and China. Later on, when I visited the places, I realised of course, that it was a bit different than you thought it was."
And that's why, Baahubali, he says, where he played antagonist Bhallaladeva, was a dream come true. It married his love for VFX with mythology. "The films [2015, 2017] changed my life, and even the Indian viewers, because they knew that now we could make something like this in India," he says.
Check out Rakul Preet Singh’s adventure cycle ride in Hyderabad
8:42 AM
Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2020)
In June, when travel restrictions were relaxed amidst the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown, Rakul Preet Singh headed home to Gurgaon to be with family. Around a month ago, she took another trip, to Hyderabad, her other home. “Cases in Mumbai were still high and no work was happening. Since my brother (Aman Preet) is in Hyderabad, I thought I’d hop across and meet some friends and catch up on my work there,” she says. Her parents didn’t object because her father being from the army doesn’t believe one should sit at home afraid and at the same time be careless about social distancing norms. “You have to adapt to changes and life must go on,” the actress asserts.
With that in mind, Rakul embarked on a cycling trip on Wednesday with a couple of para-cyclists. “I have always been into active sports and the weather was great, so I decided to make the most of it. I have some para-cyclist friends here, who have been doing 100-km rides regularly. This time me, my brother and my friend, Lakshmi Manchu, joined them,” she recounts, saying since she was out of practice, they decided to go 50 kms, but the ride had to be curtailed to 30 kms when the skies opened up.
Still, it was quite an adventure, cycling from Suchitra Cross Road to Medchal in Hyderabad. “It’s important to keep changing your activities, more so at a time like this to build up your immunity. We cycled through the drizzle head on. It wasn’t easy, but the scenery was so beautiful and kept us energized,” she exults, admitting that after three rain-drenched hours, she was cold throughout the day. “I kept adding on layers of woolies but the company was great and the experience was worth it.”
Shooting for Rakul’s upcoming film with Arjun Kapoor resumes from Monday. The actress is flying back to the city on Tuesday as her work starts from August 29. “I’m not excited to return to Mumbai during the rains, but I’m excited to be working again. I would have even gone to Timbuktu for that,” quips the actress, who is also shooting for a South project in Hyderabad and will be shuttling between the two cities for a while.
Abusers can't be allowed to settle back into a routine without admonishment-Lakshmi Manchu
8:24 AM
Lakshmi Manchu, one of the six women behind Voice Of Women, on their year-long work, offering solutions and inviting complaints from film industries across India
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 26, 2019)
"Tell your story. Shout it. Write it. Whisper it if you have to. But tell it. Some won't understand it. Some will outright reject it. But many will thank you for it. And then the most magical thing will happen. One by one, voices will start whispering, 'me too'. And your tribe will gather. And you will never feel alone again," Lakshmi Manchu echoes words by writer LR Knost.
Manchu — daughter of Mohan Babu, an actor, producer, anchor — took the Women In Cinema Collective (WCC) a step ahead. Along with actors Supriya Yarlagadda, Jhansi, Suma Kanakala, Swapna Dutt (producer), and Nandini Reddy (director), Manchu started core discussions on the welfare of the women in the Telugu film industry. The initiative that started with six women, now has 80 active technical wings. With the assistance of other volunteers, they formed a support group and panel, Voice Of Women (VoW), to help women in media and entertainment. The group aims to create gender awareness in workplaces and meet bi-monthly to discuss issues. They also plan to create a database of women technicians in the Telugu film industry.
VoW members raised voice against lewd remarks on women in cinema, condemned casting couch and harassment issues within the Telugu film industry. In order to follow legal proceedings in these issues, women activists even approached the High Court to intervene. With the directives from the court, the collective realised that the lack of a formal redressal committee for sexual harassment cases is a major issue. VoW played an instrumental role in formulating a panel at the Film Chamber of Commerce. This panel consists of members from the film fraternity, social workers, legal, medical and psychological experts. And now VoW is opening its doors to other film industries across the country.
In the wake of the Me Too movement, Bollywood found itself at a loss of moral consciousness and adequate organisational skills to replicate a similar body to address issues. "We started this [redressal committee] solely because women were facing backlash and were unable to get work after exposing culprits on social media. While addressing the issue, women need to feel safe and not be victimised," explains Manchu. "It's upon us women to take up the vigilante role. Abusers can't be allowed to settle back into a routine without admonishment. VoW is affiliated to all the subsidiary organisations of the movie industry like the Producers's Council, Writers's Council and Movie Artists's Association. We have red boxes [complaint boxes] at workplaces and have handed out email addresses where women can share their concern anonymously and we take it forward."
Manchu explains that their aim is to protect women's identities, so they can go back to work without fear. "Every complainant is required to name their perpetrator, narrate their story, list people who can corroborate the claims and find similar complaints. Now, it's upon us to stop the movement from fizzling out." Quiz her, if they plan to recreate the successful model in Bollywood and she says, "It took us a year to set up this committee. Now that we have Government recognition and it will be easier to create other platforms." But do Bollywood's leading ladies lack a similar pro-activeness to the issue? "It's not my business to prod them. Deepika [Padukone] got such flak for speaking about depression, but it changed the narrative around mental health. Bollywood girls are free to call us and ask us how to go about it. We are changing the industry we work in, but since the Hindi film industry is biggest in terms of its reach, it is their prerogative to mobilise women and set up something similar. Actors like Taapsee [Pannu], Rakul [Preet Singh] and Tamannaah [Bhatia] are all committed to the organisation."
Manchu insists that new guidelines need to be formulated that better address issues in the entertainment industry. "Our society doesn't understand consent because of the pop culture influence. The Vishaka Guidelines [a set of procedural guidelines that was later superseded in 2013 by the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace] don't apply to us." She says that women need a platform without being cornered, and eventually legal recourse will be required. Manchu's model suggests that more women need to volunteer. "Word about the organisation, the redressal method along with personal ids on vanity vans, make-up rooms, film studios need to be spread. Film crews must undergo workshops and sensitisation programmes to understand how to handle such scenarios. Hiring more women at workplaces ensure a more empathetic environment. The industry has been functioning on bro-code for far too long; it's time the girl gang rises."
Bollywood's stance in the #MeToo movement
Amongst the actors working in both industries, Manchu adds that Taapsee Pannu has been a pillar of support. When we asked the actor, what stops Bollywood from seeing a similar success story, she singles out the vastness of the industry. "The size is a major hurdle. Bollywood is consolidated in their circles, which is why access is a problem. There is a reluctance to break the circle. Lakshmi is a woman of power. She is thoroughly linked with the entire industry. In Bollywood, we need someone similar. I could start something like it, but I am not as well connected as her."
Pannu claims that women in Bollywood are still in their discussion phase. "We did get together to discuss female safety in the industry, informally. There were quite a few actresses involved. It was a discussion to understand the way forward." The actress is also a part of CINTAA where she actively works towards addressing issues faced by women in the industry. "This is a temporary solution until an all-woman body can be set up by someone in a powerful position like Lakshmi. It is essential to render a comfortable environment for women so they can come and talk safely."
Ram Gopal Varma's short film on Lakshmi Manchu's feet goes unnoticed?
7:46 AM
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; November 7, 2014)
Ram Gopal Varma loves to scare people. So far, he had done it via his
horror flicks but now he has decided to let his antics spook. The
filmmaker’s penchant for floor-level camera shots as seen in his films
like Department, Bhoot Returns, The Attacks of 26/11 and Satya 2 has
now inspired him to make a film on feet. However, this feat has gone unnoticed.Ramu’s short film A Day In The Life of Lakshmi Manchu’s Feet captures the South actress’ tootsie in a day’s span. The filmmaker has released the movie on a video sharing website. Daughter of Telugu actor Mohan Babu, Lakshmi was literally kicked about the idea and has reportedly said it will be a film to remember. She had earlier worked with Ramu in Department as well as in his 2011 Telegu film Dhongala Mutha (A Gang of Thieves).
The film shows her stretching her toes under the quilt, shaking her anklets, caressing her dog with the feet and even turning the pages of a glossy mag with them. There’s also a shot of her underwear rolling down her feet while bathing and the feet deciding on which shoe to slip on.
Ramu remained unavailable for comment.
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