'I want to be in Korea doing a love story, full of romance.'
Lakshmi Manchu is a name that resonates with versatility and grace across various film industries.
The daughter of Telugu movie star Mohan Babu, Lakshmi has made her presence felt in Tamil and Telugu cinema, as well as making significant strides in Hollywood.
"It sounds like a very unconventional roadmap but going to Hollywood seemed easier than a Telugu girl from South India from a certain family to have a dream to be in front of the camera. It was such a no-no," Lakshmi tells Rediff.com Contributor Mohnish Singh.
What gave you the certainty that acting was the career you should pursue?
Certainly, I don't know, but I can tell you that I had a feeling as young as I can remember.
And then, also being really scared of having that feeling because by then, we had already been talking about I had picked up somewhere, that girls from our homes don't act.
During college, I went to see a play once and my entire being shifted to 'This is what you're supposed to be doing'.
It was like a floodlight from the stage to me. It was such a revelation.
So within the first semester of my college, I had the guts to change my major.
Did your father Mohan Babu being a prominent figure in Telugu cinema have anything to do with you joining films?
My mother encouraged me.
My dad was not keen on me being an actor, but you know, when you follow your dream, everybody conspires because ultimately they want you to be happy.
But initially, no, no, no, no.
Can you share any advice or lessons from your father that guided you through your career?
I think the longevity of my career is only because of what my dad had taught me about the industry, about patience, discipline and keeping your word.
Your word should mean more than what you write on a piece of paper.
People should value your word, value your time.
He was a very, very, very strict dad and I think that's why our foundation is so strong.
Even today, his lessons continue to guide us.
You did not follow the conventional roadmap by debuting in an Indian film. What made you choose to debut in Hollywood first (in the television series Las Vegas in 2003)?
You know, it sounds like a very unconventional roadmap but going to Hollywood seemed easier than a Telugu girl from South India from a certain family to have a dream to be in front of the camera.
It was such a no-no.
What was your experience in Hollywood?
Things have drastically changed in the last 20 years.
Hollywood was easier because I was already here (in California). I was going to school and one thing led to another and I continued to stay and audition here.
It's funny you ask what my experience in Hollywood is because I'm sitting in the place I used to spend a lot of time in.
Every time I come back here, it is beautifully nostalgic.
The sun is different here, the air is different because of the ocean and the dry lands.
No matter how hot in the day it is, you get that cool nip in the air in the evening.
It's the same with work: A different kind of sun, a different kind of work ethic.
But work is worship anywhere.
Truly speaking, now that I'm sitting here in Hollywood, I'm grateful for everything that I do in India.
And to have had the experience of Hollywood and to be able to keep coming back is such a blessing.
Where would you like your career to go from here? Your recent leading role was in the OTT show, Yakshini.
This is what I do and this is my life. I'll continue to do it as long as God gives me this strength in my body.
I'm not tied down anywhere.
But I'm continuously exploring ideas from all around the world.
Yakshani was very sweet. People have come up to me and given the best compliments.
I think this is the first time I've looked uber glamorous.
I'm always picking such interesting characters, and this one was like a glamorous one.
Is this the path?
I'm an actor, whichever path has good, meaningful work, that's my path.
If you ask me where I want my career to go, I have been saying this for a long time: I want to do a K-drama.
I want to be in Korea doing a love story, full of romance.
Apart from acting, you are also into production and hosting. How do you manage these different roles? Which is the most fulfilling?
As I said, acting was a far off dream for me to reach. The next easy thing was production and hosting, so they came naturally to me.
Easier, I would say, than acting.
I had to do whatever I could do to be on sets, in front of the camera.
So I've written, I've directed, I've produced.
I can't say what is most fulfilling.
But the most rewarding is acting.
What is next for you?
I have some really exciting projects lined up and (I am) getting ready to shoot something in September.
I have two releases in Telugu coming up.
I have finished one film in Tamil and shooting for another one is in progress.
As a successful actress and producer, how do you view the current landscape for women in the film industry?
I think in the last 30 years, we have been continuously evolving and we see more women, but not in the numbers that I would truly like to see.
Still, a larger number of women are coming into the industry and that is amazing.
And yes, I have seen significant changes.
From me wanting to be an actor 20 years ago to how it is today, it is like night and day.
More women are accepted as producers and directors. So it's changing, but not at the speed that it should, but there is a significant shift.
How did your life change after marriage?
Change is the only thing that is constant and you embrace it.
For me, the most incredible, amazing thing has been (daughter) Nirvana in my life.
That has been the most magical gift.
You have featured in only one Hindi film, Ram Gopal Varma's Department. Was it lack of good roles that kept you away from Bollywood?
Not really. I just got very busy in Hyderabad. But I kept coming to Bombay to meet people.
You know, things don't happen if you don't stay put in one place.
Now, it's great if I could, you know, be out there. My daughter is going to school in Bombay.
Bombay has always been calling me, so let's see what my next exciting, really exciting, work is going to be (in Bollywood).
Bollywood is currently going through a bad patch, as movies are not doing well while the southern film industry is leaving its footprint globally with films like RRR. Where is the Hindi film industry going wrong, according to you?
I don't think anything is going wrong. I think we make bad decisions sometimes.
For the longest time, we always thought there was nothing bigger than Bollywood but now the world is becoming smaller with OTT platforms. Language is not a barrier, and movies are releasing throughout India as pan-India films.
Before, most Bollywood films were copied from our south films.
Very few from Bombay came south but most of our south Indian films went north.
I think right now, it's time for all of us to sit down and say there is no differentiation. We need to come up with our own original scripts and stories and see where things go from there.
Some people feel that South films are more culturally rooted than Bollywood. Do you agree?
I disagree. I think there are some really good Bollywood films that are culturally rooted as well.
We make (films in) Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam, so it's easier for us to talk about our nuances. But in Hindi, you have to represent a bigger Hindi-speaking audience.
So I don't agree with that.
Is it true that the failure of your debut Tamil film Kadal, directed by Mani Ratnam, broke your heart as you were expecting it to launch your career in Tamil cinema in a big way?
The first part of the question is really true.
I was born and brought up in Tamil Nadu. I speak Tamil very well. I have done a lot of movies after that.
So, heart-broken, yes, but launching a career?
What message would you send to all those young women who want to have a career like yours?
Never, ever, ever, ever, give up on your dream.
Whatever it is that you want to be, do become, you have the power.
You don't need anybody's permission but yourself.
That's something every woman should remember.
