There is much to be said about an actor who accepts a slump in his career, waits patiently for the tide to turn, and then returns boldly to the screen after eight years, despite industry whispers warning against casting him. Manoj Manchu plays the main antagonist, Mahabir Lama, also known as the Black Sword, a villainous sorcerer in the popular film Mirai.

Speaking about its success, Manchu said, “It’s a good movie. I am grateful that the director, Karthik Gattamneni, trusted me. We worked on it for three years.”

For the actor, the only apprehension when he signed the film three years ago was its spiritual dimension, especially when he had to “confront Rama” in the final fight.

“I was super excited. Only scary thing was once Mahabir Lama gets the ninth book, then the fight will be with Rama. It will be Rama versus Lama. I’m a very devotional person and an ardent devotee of Shiva. Playing against God as Mahabir Lama [felt like I was] going against God. That was challenging. But I was grateful to get such a larger-than-life character,” he explained.

Like any actor making a comeback, Manchu also feared his decision might not work out. However, the positive atmosphere on set and the enthusiasm of the cast and crew put his fears to rest.

“Everybody will have that fear for every movie you do. But then the percentage of the fear varies. For Mirai, the percentage was very less compared to any of my movies in the past. We were rooting and manifesting it to the universe,” admitted the actor.

The film’s production was not without hurdles. From visa delays to weather changes, Manchu recalled why it took three years to complete.

“Because we touched so many countries, visas were a major [reason for]  delays. It happened with Turkey and then in the UK. So again, we had to wait another three months for the visa. By that time, the summer was gone. In the rainy season, the sets we built had to be recreated, so we got delayed again.”

Manoj Manchu has a pan-Indian period film ‘David Reddy’ set between 1897 and 1922. After that, he will shoot for the action-horror film ‘Abraham Lincoln’, where he plays a priest. His third film ‘Rakshak’, directed by Naveen Kolli, will see him as a police officer. He also has an untitled fourth project in the works.

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.