Lakshmi Manchu Files Complaint Against Journalist Over Ageist Remarks, Calls Out Misogyny

Lakshmi Manchu slams senior journalist for body-shaming and ageist comments during an interview. Files formal complaint with TFCC and demands public apology.

Lakshmi Manchu demands accountability after ageist comments from a journalist during an interview

Source : Instagram

Actor Lakshmi Manchu has called out a senior journalist for making derogatory comments about her appearance and attire, sparking an industry-wide conversation on body shaming, ageism, and sexism. The incident occurred during a recent interview where the journalist reportedly questioned her clothing choices, implying they were unsuitable for a woman in her 40s and a mother.

Formal Complaint Filed, Demand for Accountability

In response, Lakshmi has taken the matter to the Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC), filing a formal complaint and issuing a bold statement against what she described as casual misogyny disguised as journalism.

“India is a country that reveres women as Shakti, yet when we step into professional spaces, we are subjected to casual misogyny, humiliation, and disrespect. This cannot continue,” Lakshmi said, as reported by Cinemaexpress.

“I owe it not only to myself but to the many young women who look up to me to call this out.”

She emphasized that while criticism is a part of public life, personal attacks and ageist judgments should not be tolerated. Labeling the journalist’s approach as “cruelty masked as journalism,” Lakshmi has also called for a public apology and urged the TFCC to initiate action to protect women in the entertainment industry.

“Respect is not optional. Accountability is not negotiable,” she added.

Lakshmi Speaks on Discrimination Faced by Divorced Women

During the promotions of her new thriller Daksha: A Deadly Conspiracy, Lakshmi opened up about the prejudice divorced women face in the film industry. In a separate interview with Great Andhra, she cited a popular actress, the ex-wife of a superstar, who has allegedly been unofficially blacklisted following her divorce.

“She got divorced, and since then, even films that were once offered to her have been taken away,” Lakshmi said. “People say, ‘Oddu le amma, aina emana antaru emo’ (Let it go, dear. What if her ex says something?).”

When the interviewer asked if she was referencing Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Lakshmi declined to confirm but pointed out that several male stars have been divorced and continued to thrive in their careers — something not equally afforded to women.

“If a man gets divorced, his life doesn’t change. But for a woman… no one gives us freedom. We have to take it ourselves.”

On the Work Front

Lakshmi is currently promoting her latest film, Daksha: A Deadly Conspiracy, a suspense thriller that hit theatres on September 20. The film marks a significant project for Lakshmi and adds to her growing body of bold, socially conscious work — both on and off the screen.