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Lakshmi Manchu turned 43 on October 8 and her father Mohan Babu had the most special wishes for her as he called her his ‘priceless treasure’ and adding that he ‘loves her 3000’. While it is
undisputed that the legendary actor loves his daughter as much as any dad, the actress once admitted to Hyderabad Times that it has often been a bone of contention between them both that
she has always been anything but the typical Tollywood daughter.“I have always had fights with him about how he thought his girl, his daughter should be. But I’m feisty so of course I
disagree. I’ve lived across the world and I would tell him things are different elsewhere,” she had said, adding, “But during the lockdown, I think I’ve fallen for my dad more than ever.”
And it’s true; Lakshmi Manchu has always defied the norm by dancing to her own beat. Take a look at five ways the bombshell proved to be the path breaker that she is: #1 CHARTING OUT HER OWN
PATH At a time when most Tollywood daughters were staying under the radar, Lakshmi headed out to the US and made a career acting in hit shows like Las Vegas and Desperate Housewives apart
from Hollywood films like The Ode and Dead Air. She even holds a degree in theatre from Oklahoma City University and had directed, produced and acted in a short film called Perfect Lives
before heading to India. Lakshmi made her theatre debut in 2016 as Miss Trunchbull in an adaptation of Matilda directed by Taher Ali Baig. #2 NOT A DAMSEL-IN-DISTRESS When she did return to
India, it was not to play the typical damsel-in-distress on-screen or a Tollywood heroine oh-so-in-awe of the hero. Instead, she played the powerful witch Irendri in Anaganaga O Dheerudu and
hosted talk shows like Lakshmi Talk Show and Premato Mee Lakshmi. She went on to act in films like Kadal, W/o Ram and host shows like Memusaitham, Maharani and more. She even dabbled in a
web-series and kept experimenting all through her career. #3 BABY THROUGH SURROGACY Lakshmi Manchu did not shy away from defying the norms to meet the love of her life, her baby girl Vidya
Nirvana aka Apple. She opted for surrogacy, making her possibly the first ever mother to opt for it in Tollywood. The actress revealed in several interviews that her gut had told her it
would be a boy so it was a pleasant surprise for her when she had a girl. Lakshmi is married to Andy Srinivasan. #4 MAKING WORKOUT COOL She would share her workout regimes with the world
even before it was cool to do so, doing everything from nailing the split to showing people the proper ways to pull off asanas. The actress continues to inspire many by working out with her
daughter now. She still shares videos of her working out on social media, keeping up with her fitness even when she’s away on vacations like she is right now. The actress is often spotted
working out with her BFF Rakul Preet Singh recently when not with her daughter. #5 NO TIME TO WASTE During the lockdown when most celebs were busy coming to terms with the changing world
around them, Lakshmi wasted no time in getting used to it. She hosted a total of seventeen lives with people from various walks of life to spread awareness and cheer. She spoke to everyone
from Covid-19 warriors to Rana Daggubati as soon as he got engaged, ensuring she kept her fans engaged through the lockdown. _Join Hyderabad Times for an exciting Instagram LIVE
(@hyderabad_times) with Lakshmi Manchu on October 9 at 5 PM_