Actor Lakshmi Manchu is busy promoting her upcoming film, Daksha: A Deadly Conspiracy, which will be released in theatres on 19 September. In an interview with Great Andhra, the actor blasted the reporter for constantly asking her about her dressing the way she does at 47. She also questioned whether he would ask the same question to a male actor like Mahesh Babu.

Lakshmi Manchu blasts reporter

During the interview, the reporter commented that moving to Mumbai had somehow changed Lakshmi’s dressing. She replied that she stayed in America before moving back to Hyderabad and now Mumbai, reasoning that she worked hard to look the way she does, and it gives her confidence to dress the way she wishes to.

When the reporter persisted, commenting that she was close to 50 and the mother of a girl child, so it was a given that people would comment on her dressing, she hit back without raising her voice and said, “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.”

The reporter, after admitting he wouldn’t ask the question to a man, backtracked and said he only asked because people were commenting about it on her social media. Lakshmi pointed out calmly that she wasn’t done answering and said, “I know a superstar’s wife who is still in the industry. Even the films she was once offered have been taken away after her divorce because they feel her ex-husband might feel bad. She is waiting to do good work. A man will never face something like that; his life will never change. But a woman takes on so much responsibility. No one gives us freedom; we have to take it on our own.”

Internet reacts

People who watched the interview thought Lakshmi was right to hit back at the line of questioning. “How dare you ask me this question …?” wrote on X (formerly Twitter) user with fire emojis while sharing a clip of the interview. Another wrote, “the way she asked “how dare you” without a serious tone. Impressive!”

A fan pointed out, “She is good at heart. Stop trolling her for your psychotic happiness. She is true to heart and doesn’t fake.” Another wrote, “The way she handled the questions and her responses with true elegance is awesome.” One fan thought, “Manchu akka (elder sister) explanation about men vs women right on point.”