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4 minute read
COVER STORY
She calls herself a brat but when you are around her, all you feel is a glamorous vibe and powerful aura. She is a woman with many talents, a mother, a wife, an actor, a producer, a television presenter and an incredibly warm-hearted person. Coming from a family of actors, Lakshmi Manchu chose to make a separate identity for herself in the USA and bloom as an individual full of hard work, confidence and taste for perfection without using the influence of her father Mohan Babu. In this interview she gives us a sneak peek of her life & upcoming projects.
LAKSHMI MANCHU
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Unscripted & Unstoppable
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What is a typical day in Lakshmi Manchu’s life?
No day is a typical one but it usually starts with spending some quality time with my daughter, Nirvana, because my evenings are inconsistent and I have more control over the mornings. So, we wake up together and we are not the kind who jump out of the bed right after waking up.
And I think that’s the most unadulterated time I can have with her where we can talk about her thoughts, dreams, and her days. That’s how I spend most of my mornings.
Then I work out and go shoot if there is any scheduled.
Or else I go to the office and my day ends around 6 pm.
Almost all days, someone or the other is at home because I love hosting and entertaining people. That’s how my days typically are.
Did you always wanted to be in the glamorous world?
No, I did not want to be in the glamorous world. But I wanted to be an actor. And to be taken as a serious actor. I never understood the glamour part of it until I became an actor myself. What drew me into cinema and acting were films like Muthal Mariyathai, Geetanjali, and Shiva. When I was a kid, I didn’t think of this as a glamorous world. I saw my dad acting and there was nothing glamorous about it. The sets were hot with no caravans or air conditioners. It was extremely raw and despite it all, something about this chaos attracted me to the core.
What was your first ever job?
My first job was at a kiosk in a mall. I worked in a perfume store when I was in America and was hugely influenced by fragrances, the reason why I have so many perfumes now. And I did many other odd jobs.
Does your family ever have a say in your workrelated decisions?
Of course, they will have a say; if I ask them for it. But I realized, as you get older, you need to make your own decisions. If you are confused, you can ask them for advice only if they are willing to give it regardless of whether you take it or not. My family is not like that, if I ask them for advice, I will have to take it. So, gradually I stopped asking them what to do.
What’s your take on marriage how do you keep your professional and personal life balanced?
I have the perfect marriage. My husband lives in America whereas I live in India. In today’s world, you got to do what works for you and your family. You cannot let others’ morals lead your life. My husband has been living in America for so long and has tried living in India, and I’ve been here for so long and it is not easy to pick up and go to America with my daughter leaving behind the support system I have here. So, we take time out during every holiday and it allows us to travel and spend quality time over quantity.
If you are offered a reality show like Big Boss as a contestant, would you go for it?
I was offered Bigg Boss Hindi. But that is not my cup of tea, it is not something I enjoy and there’s no reason I would put myself through something I wouldn’t enjoy. Definitely not Bigg Boss, it’s just not my kind of game.
You have been part of the Hollywood projects, what difference do you see compared to Indian Cinema?
How can you compare apples and oranges? The passion is the same. They are fruits, equally good and beneficial for you but they are completely different in terms of their approach. I do miss the rigid professionalism they have in Hollywood.
What are your upcoming projects?
I have about five movies I am currently doing; one in Tamil, one in Malayalam, and three in Telugu. I’m looking forward to them shortly.
As an Independent woman like you, what advice would you like to give to other women to have their own identity?
If you seriously want to take my advice, then it is to not take any. We are constantly told what to do, what not to do, how to do and where to be and I think it is important to not listen to anybody and do what you think is right because we all have that innate intuition of what is right and what is good for us but we get too influenced by the external factors and confuse ourselves. So, the only thing is to follow your heart. And what gave me the independence I have today is the ability to financially support myself and if you can find a way to do that, you will find many ways to use your voice.