Lakshmi Manchu defends her fashion choices at 47; calls out double standards in film industry: 'Would you ask Mahesh Babu...'

Actress Lakshmi Manchu, has been out and about promoting her new ovie 'Daksha: A Deadly Conspiracy', slated to relase in theatres this week. Ahead of the film's release, the actress hit headlines for her strong stance against those questioned about her clothing choices. In a video clip, the actress, in conversation with Great Andhra, was asked if her sense of dressing at age 47 had changed after she moved to Mumbai. When an ageist remark was made, saying that she was “close to 50” and a mother, Lakshmi promptly clapped back, and lashed out at the gender bias.“Would you ask a man the same question?" she fumed and went on to as, "How dare you! How dare you ask me that question?"As reported by BollywoodShaadis, she asked, "Would you say, Mahesh Babu, you are 50 now, why are you going shirtless? Then how do you ask a woman the same thing?"Giving the man a schooling, she said, "When you ask questions like that to a woman, you are already putting stops for her." She further pointed out the challenges women in the film industry face, as compared to their male counterparts. “I know a superstar’s wife who is still in the industry. Even the films she was once offered have been taken away after her divorce because they feel her ex-husband might feel bad. She is waiting to do good work," she alleged. She went on to remark that a man would never face such a situation. "A woman takes on so much responsibility. No one gives us freedom; we have to take it on our own," she said. The actress' heated interaction in the clip has since sparked discussions online, with many praising her for calling out sexism and double standards in the industry. Meanwhile, 'Daksha: A Deadly Conspiracy' will release in cinemas on September 19, 2025.