Lakshmi Manchu recalls being abused while in 10th grade; says, ‘I didn’t get into a fight... it happens to everyone’

Lakshmi Manchu talks about her childhood struggles

Lakshmi Manchu may hail from an affluent family, but even that did not make her immune to the horrors faced by girls in the society. In a recent interview, the actress recalled facing abuse for the first time when she was just 15, in the 10th grade.

Speaking to Hauterrfly, Lakshmi shared how she grew up sheltered, being the daughter of Mohan Babu; but this one incident on public transport left her feeling violated.

Lakshmi recalled how she would usually go to school accompanied by a driver, bodyguard and her mother. However, once she took he public transport from school to pick up her hall ticket.

Lakshmi recalled she was touched inappropriately by random people on the way. “The violation I faced…what is this ugly feeling? I was 15 years old then. I don’t know if they knew I was a little child. I moved away and didn’t get into a fight. I shared it with my girlfriends, and they said it happened to them too. I wasn’t picked as a special girl for this to happen. It happens to everyone,” she said.

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Lakshmi also recalled she “fell down crying” during the MeToo movement as every single thing mentioned by the Women’s Commission had happened to her. “Sometimes people will want to mess with you when you’re from a big family because we won’t come out and say it. A theft happens in my house, and I can’t go out and say it. Let the Rs 15000 go, that’s how I have been raised. Be careful with your things, but if it goes out, you don’t want to put your name out there unnecessarily,” she shared.

Lakshmi, who was a contestant on The Traitors India, was last seen in Adiparvam (2024). She also featured in the web series Yakshini.