Actor Lakshmi Manchu has spoken candidly about relationships, self-respect and domestic abuse while promoting her upcoming film, Pookie (Tamil) and Bookie (Telugu), in which she plays a psychiatrist. The actor drew parallels with Thappad, starring Taapsee Pannu, to underline her firm stance against abuse within marriages.
Addressing how her outlook on relationships has evolved during the promotional event in Hyderabad, Lakshmi said that personal happiness and mutual respect remain central. “You do you. Do what gives you happiness. Two people come together in their 20s hoping they share the same outlook on life. If either of them takes the marriage for granted or starts slacking, that’s where the downfall begins,” she said.
The actor was unequivocal while speaking about abuse in relationships. “Some people say no matter how much I suffer or how much I’m abused, I will stay with my husband. That’s their life,” Lakshmi said. “I watched Thappad and thought it was brilliant. Who gives anyone the right to hit another person? My parents don’t touch me – who are you to hit me? That’s where I stand. You need self-respect.”
Lakshmi also reflected on changing societal norms around relationships, noting that while attitudes have become more accepting, they come with new challenges. “There was a time when our parents would never agree to us being in relationships. Now we’ve reached a point where it’s acceptable, but how you conduct yourself in a relationship matters. Social media has really corrupted the way we think,” she observed.
She further added that courtship, she feels, has lost its effort-driven sincerity. “Earlier, if a man wanted to approach a woman, he had to put in effort. Today, it’s the same copy-paste message sent to ten women. The world has changed drastically, and it’s up to us women to decide if someone truly means what they say.”
At the promotional event, actor and film presenter Vijay Antony praised Lakshmi for her forthright responses, affectionately referring to her as “mataji.”
Lakshmi married Andy Srinivasan in 2006, and the couple has a daughter, Vidya Nirvana. In a recent podcast, the actor reflected on being raised with the belief of “worshipping men,” adding that her perspective has since changed. “I don’t miss anything,” she said, noting that she does not feel the absence of being with a man in her life.
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