Happy April Fools Day 2023: The biggest prankster in my house is my daughter, says Lakshmi Manchu

The gorgeous Lakshmi Manchu needs absolutely no introduction. After having made her acting debut with the American television series ‘Las Vegas’ (she had played the role of Sarasvati Kumar), she went onto do other shows like ‘Desperate Housewives’, ‘Late Nights With My Lover’ and ‘Mystery ER’. She gradually moved onto south film industry wherein she is a superstar of sorts… esp in the Telugu film industry.

Hello Lakshmi Manchu! Are you all set for April 1… April Fool’s Day?
The biggest prankster in my house is my daughter. I'm sure she'll come up with something. I'm the worst. I've never been a big prankster… but, I have been able to pull some off something here and there. So, yes… I've had a few ‘April 1’ moments!

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Do you know the history behind April Fool’s Day?
Do I know the history behind April Fool's Day? I used to know… I can't suddenly remember, I usually look it up on April 1 and then forget again (chuckles)

Have you ever been fooled on April 1? If yes, then, who and how?
Oh yes! My daughter Nirvana aka Apple always comes up with ways and means of fooling me every year. The best part is that, every time, she has something unique…always. And she gets me every time. (smiles)

Did you ever fool anyone? If yes, then, who and how?
Did I ever fool anyone? Well… I exactly can’t really remember if I fooled anyone, but… I'm a prankster all the time. It all depends on how inspired I am. For me… pranking has to come instantaneously. And yes, I love pranking people. There is a goofy side to me, I believe. It depends on how the day progresses in terms of ‘inspiration’. And in my house, they are pretty easy to fall for pranks. They fall for pranks pretty easily.

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Speaking of ‘inspiration’, where do you get your ‘inspiration’ from to fool people on April Fool’s Day?
Inspiration can just about come from anywhere… it’s like a tiny brainwave. But I will tell you some of the real naughty stuff I have done. I think April Fool's Day used to be great back in school. Listen to this… I have done this prank so many times. What used to happen was that my dad would be in the middle of some shoot and he had these make up scars. So, I would take these scars and put the scars on and tell them I got hurt, thus putting everyone around me in frenzy! Later on, after I had pranked them, I would tell them the truth!

Secondly, whenever I used to travel abroad, I used to go to these toy stores every time. What I was most interested in were these magic show trick boxes. So, one time… very early on, we went to this magic store, they had these real looking human faeces in plastic. So I brought all sorts of things and I would drop it in my school inside the class and say, ‘Madam, somebody did poo-poo here” (bursts out laughing). Yeah, I've done things like that. But that didn't necessarily have to be on April Fool's Day. I was just excited to just bunk class and create some ruckus every time.

Have you ever repeated your April Fool’s Day pranks on people?
Oh yes, like I said, it did not have to be April Fool’s Day, it just could be one bright sunny day and I would go for it.

Have you ever encountered / heard of an incident about April Fool’s Day which went too far and had its dire consequences?
Yes, I have heard of pranks that had gone too far. There was a pranking incident wherein a guy said he would kill himself if the girl didn’t accept his proposal and said yes to him. But, when she refused, this guy went and drank a bottle of pesticide as a joke! And then he died. Yeah, this is a true story. So, dear friends… let me just take this opportunity to advice and request everyone don't take any prank too far.

Do you think that the advent of social media has not just given a platform to pranks, but also has upped the level of pranks?
If not handled properly and diligently, the very social media can get totally out of hand. Of course, social media has its positives as well. I cannot weigh in and say there is as much good as the bad because I think the negative is more than the good right now. And trust me… that's very, very, very scary.

Speaking off social media, there are also a few prank videos on social media which result in having adverse effects. Do you think that such videos should be banned?
Yes sure! I had heard about a girl in Tamil Nadu who was nine years old and had committed suicide. She was known as a ‘reels queen’. It’s being said that, when she was playing and pranking with her neighbour, her parents came and yelled at her asking her to go back home as it was getting late. And because she had this ‘celeb-waala’ feeling in her, she felt humiliated because the parents yelled at her in front of her friends. And when her parents had gone for grocery shopping, they found their daughter hanging from a towel! This happened a few days back. So it is indeed very scary the way social media has started impacting our lives.

What is it that you want to tell everyone out there on the ‘occasion’ of April Fool’s Day?
Nothing. Because… no one would believe anything I say on April Fool’s Day! (laughs heartily)

Do you believe everything that is told to you on April Fool’s Day? Or because, it’s April Fool’s Day, you think twice before believing it?
Oh yes, I do think twice and now even more perhaps because Iam doing this interview! But, along the way somewhere somehow somebody gets to me because I'm gullible like that.

Lakshmi Manchu… just a couple of general knowledge questions in regards to April Fool’s Day

Do you know that which country in Asia has banned April Fools’ Day?
It either has to be either China or India. But we take it seriously. That’s why I would want to go with China!

That’s right! China it is…
See… I told you … (smiles)

Do you know as to which country/ countries call ‘April Fool's Day’ as ‘April Fish Day’?
OMG, no way I would know this. But I will Google after this interview.

The answer is Italy, France, Belgium and French-speaking areas of Switzerland and Canada.

Wow! That’s so cool… I feel so enlightened today! (smiles)

Thirdly, ccan you name the online application/ technological invention which was launched on April 1st, 2004, and because of April 1, many all over thought of it to be a prank?
Hmmm.. is it ….?

Well… it’s Gmail!
OMG! Really … I just didn’t know that!