Lakshmi Manchu revisits her love story

Lakshmi Manchu speaks to HANS TALKIES about how she fell in love with her husband Andy Srinivasan, how their relationship has grown over time and how they manage to keep the spark alive…

Producer-turned-actor Lakshmi Manchu says that in life “there are no coincidences and everything that happens is a master plan”. Her meeting with husband Andy Srinivasan was something of that sort. “I visited Chennai with a friend for her wedding shopping. Another friend of mine agreed to take me around. We decided to pick up a friend of his on the way. That friend, who lived in the penthouse of the building we stopped in front of, came running down the stairs and bent down to tie his shoelaces,” she says, adding, “He looked up saying something and I apparently leaned over to look at him.

He knew at that moment he was going to marry me… Yes, even before he said hello! Well seven years later, in 2006, he got his way.” Lakshmi believes it’s destiny that brought them together. “I do not believe in coincidences and think it was all planned way ahead. If you look at our lives from the beginning – even from where we were born, we always missed bumping into each other. Our schools were in the same neighbourhood and we both studied in the same college at Oklahoma,” she reflects.

But strangely, despite being around, they met in a random fashion. “I think it was destined to happen because despite so many possibilities, it was the shopping incident that connected us both. And from then on we remained in touch.” In times when long distance relationships have spelt doom for many couples, Lakshmi says that for them it wasn’t a big deal. “From the time we met, we’ve been in a long distance relationship. In fact, even now he is in the US. But you know when you find love, the world comes together to make it happen. And that’s how we manage to keep it strong,” states the actress.

After dating Andy for seven years she finally tied the knot but unlike most Indian girls she wasn’t enthusiastic with the idea. “When he asked me to marry him, I asked him why he wanted to ruin a beautiful relationship. So many of my friends got married and it is the nuptials they are excited about and are clueless about what’s next,” she avers.

She continues, “The ceremony is so temporary and it’s life after that which lasts forever. I had seen a lot of unhappy unions but fabulous weddings. I asked him why should we do something like that.” Nonetheless Andy managed to convince her. “He told me, ‘Don’t look at it as a wedding. Instead see it as a big party with a lot of jewellery for you.’ Well, that I can do I thought,” she says laughing.

Though marriage never figured in her scheme of things, she says that she believes in a promise. “In our society, marriage has way too much stigma attached with a lot of ‘should be’ and ‘shouldn’t be’. I feel that one should be able to walk away from any relationship that isn’t working. I think marriage somehow makes that impossible… in our society. But I feel a promise is stronger coming from within. So mine is a promise to him that I will stick to him no matter what,” she shares.

The defining moment in their relationship, she recalls, was when Andy visited India years into their relationship. “I waited till he landed here and told him that we should remain friends and he should marry someone his family suggests. He asked me why I was speaking in that tone and I told him that we are from different communities and the marriage might not be a possibility. He just hung up without saying much.”

But then something that happened the next day made her realise that he was one for her. “I was in college and had just finished a class. Someone was waiting for me outside and guess who it was? Andy! He had told his family that he was going to visit a friend in Coimbatore and came all the way to tell me not to think of anything and to trust that the relationship was going forward.”

And it was that incident which totally floored her. So, how did she convince her superstar father Mohan Babu? “When I told him that I wanted to marry Andy, he wasn’t convinced and told me he needed some time. As Andy had spent nearly 20 years in America, my father wasn’t certain if he had the values that a guy from an Indian family would. He was afraid of the divorce ratio in the US and was worried if I would abandon me. He decided to meet Andy three-four times over the next year to make his mind up.”

But what followed was a surprise for Lakshmi. “Andy went to my dad and spent an entire day with him. I received a call next morning from dad, asking me to come home. I got getting engaged as soon as I reached home,” she says with a broad smile. Nearly eight years into marriage, the love has only increased, she says. “I am worried about him. He loves going on long drives and goes to Ghatkesar every day. I call him so many times and keep asking if he’s alright.”

On a parting note, she insists they are a fun loving couple. “We love to pull each other’s leg. But that apart, he has been my biggest support and strength. There was a time when I thought my career wasn’t going as I wanted. But he asked me to pursue my dreams irrespective of whether I make money or not.”

By:Pranita Jonnalagedda