The rift within the Manchu family became public nearly an year ago when Manchu Manoj, the younger son of veteran actor Mohan Babu, openly revolted against his father and elder brother Manchu Vishnu over several issues, bringing the family into the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Accusations were exchanged publicly, and the controversy dominated headlines for months. During this phase, Lakshmi Manchu, who spends most of her time in Mumbai, chose not to publicly side with either Manoj or Vishnu.

During a recent interview, Lakshmi candidly spoke about the emotional toll the feud took on her. Making an appearance on the podcast hosted by Nikhil Vijayendra Simha, Lakshmi said, “Since I stayed in Mumbai, people assumed I didn’t care about what was happening in Hyderabad. But only I know how much pain I went through during that time. I didn’t want to respond because it is a personal issue,” adding that she was shocked by the amount of speculation surrounding her silence.

When asked what she would ideally wish for, Lakshmi replied, “I want my family together again.” She went on to reflect on how small issues often escalate within Indian families. “People fight and distance themselves for long periods. But you should fight to bring the family together, because in the end, blood relations are all you have. You shouldn’t maintain distance,” she said.

Lakshmi also shared that she never imagined such differences could arise within her family. She clarified that she does not prefer giving exclusive interviews and usually speaks to the media only during her film promotions.