Exclusive! Lakshmi Manchu: Mohanlal’s Monster gave me a chance to push myself and step out of my comfort zone

For Telugu actress and producer Lakshmi Manchu to step out of the industry and act in Malayalam, it required a character that was challenging and pushed her out of her comfort zone. Monster, she says, ticked all those boxes. In fact, she even dubbed for herself in Malayalam for the upcoming Mohanlal-starrer, directed by Vysakh.

In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Lakshmi Manchu talks about the equation she shares with Mohanlal, the initial apprehensions she had about the role, what prompted her to take it up and her love for kalaripayattu.

Monster is a big film, with regards to its cast and crew, to make your Malayalam debut. But how did the discussions to be part of this film begin?

Lalettan and our family have known each other for a very long time. He was shooting for Bro Daddy in Hyderabad last year. He spent a lot of time with us as my dad (Mohan Babu) just wouldn’t let him go even for a day. I just went crazy about Lalettan. I was born and raised with superstars. But what a human being he is. He is an extraordinaire. There wasn’t a topic I couldn’t talk to him about – from architecture, art, jewellery to shoes. He’s such an all-rounder and above all, he has such a cool temperament.

So, a few months later after he left Hyderabad, he got in touch and said there’s a role. I said I am in. He asked me to listen to the story first because it’s something that I haven’t done before and it is quite bold; he wanted to make sure I was okay with the character. When I listened to the story, I was like, ‘(gulp) Oh my God!’ It was an opportunity for me to push myself and step out of my comfort zone. When you are working with Lalettan, Vysakh sir and (producer) Antony (Perumbavoor) sir, there’s no way you can go wrong. It was about trusting my guts, and I got to stay in Kerala for a month and enjoy the food.

Also read: Exclusive! Mohanlal’s Monster has a mixed genre and several unexpected turns: Sudev Nair 

You had posted a video of your training in kalaripayattu while in Kerala. Was that as part of the film?

I first came across kalaripayattu in America. I was like, ‘What do you mean this is from India?’, because I had not heard of it. My yoga teacher there would travel to Pondicherry to learn kalaripayattu. I had the opportunity to stay with him and learn for a week. But that was it. So, when I was in Kochi for over a month, I wanted to pick that up because I was in the heartland of the martial arts. I trained under Krishnadas sir, whose father (Sankara Narayana Menon) was awarded the Padma Shri this year. So, it was entirely my indulgence. Instead of working out in the morning, I used to do kalaripayattu.

Monster has a mixed genre and initially there were discussions that it would be an OTT release. Coming from Telugu cinema, how different was it for you to see how makers in Malayalam films tackled its content, especially because it’s also a superstar-driven film?

Bengali films in the north and Malayalam films down South are a class apart. We might have the same flesh and blood, but how Malayalis’ brains are wired are completely different. Monster was originally an OTT film; the talks were happening just after the second lockdown. Bro Daddy was being shot during the lockdown because Hyderabad was open and Kerala had restrictions. And now, it’s a Diwali release.

Also read: Mohanlal’s Monster banned in GCC countries due to LGBTQ content? 

It’s incredible to see Malayalam filmmakers at work. Vysakh sir is someone who can’t conceive of anything small. Everything is grand. You should have seen the sets of the movie. Even the art director, I was telling them that I will pack and take him to Hyderabad because the set was a functioning house with electricity. Even for the climax, I don’t think any other director would have used the entire space like Vysakh sir did.

Because it was planned as an OTT release, did that give confidence to the makers as well as the mainstream artistes to be part of a film that was dealing with its content?

I think so, I would be lying if I said otherwise. There was a big apprehension I had, stemming from where I come from - ‘If it was a theatrical release, what would people think? How will they accept this content?’ But with OTT, it brought about a certain kind of freedom.

In terms of being part of films with content that push the envelope, how fulfilling is that as an actor?

If I was just going to be acting for the sake of it, I would be doing something every other month. The content needs to excite and entice me because acting is just one of the many things I do. I also produce, host and have other commitments; I am satisfied in other creative ways. So, for me to act, you’d better have something meaty and exciting. That was one of the reasons I picked Monster.