Actor Lakshmi Manchu has opened up about a deeply distressing experience from her teenage years, recalling the first time she faced sexual abuse at the age of 15. Speaking in an interview with Hauterrfly, she described how an incident on public transport left her feeling violated, confused and burdened by an “ugly feeling” she did not know how to process at the time.
Lakshmi recounts her first experience of abuse
Lakshmi said she was in the tenth grade when the incident occurred. Coming from a well-known family—she is the daughter of veteran actor Mohan Babu—she said she usually travelled with a driver, a bodyguard and her mother. However, on one occasion, her school arranged for students to travel by public transport to collect their hall tickets.
Lakshmi recalled being excited about the rare experience of travelling like other students. But the joy was short-lived. During the commute, she said she was touched inappropriately by strangers in the crowd.
“The violation I faced… what is this ugly feeling? I was 15 years old then,” she said. “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.”
‘Every girl on public transport has faced this’
Lakshmi said the normalisation of such experiences is what troubled her deeply. She added that if any woman claims she has travelled on public transport without ever being harassed, “she’s lying”.
The actor also recalled how she broke down during the MeToo movement. “I fell down crying because every single thing mentioned on a flier by the Women’s Commission had happened to me,” she said.
Pressure on women from prominent families
Lakshmi further reflected on how being from a well-known family discouraged her from speaking out publicly about such incidents.
“Sometimes people will want to mess with you when you’re from a big family because we won’t come out and say it,” she said. Sharing an example, she added, “A theft happens in my house, and I can’t go out and say it. Let the ₹15,000 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.”
Her remarks highlight how social pressures and concerns about reputation often force many women—especially public figures or those from prominent families—to stay silent about abuse or harassment.
Lakshmi’s recent work
Lakshmi Manchu was last seen in the 2024 film Adiparvam and the JioHotstar fantasy drama Yakshini. Earlier this year, she also participated in the reality show The Traitors India.
Conclusion
Lakshmi’s candid recollection adds to the ongoing conversation about women’s safety in public spaces. Her reflections underline that harassment is a widespread issue, cutting across backgrounds and social status, and reinforce the need for stronger societal awareness and safer public environments for women.