Actor Lakshmi Manchu opens up about a traumatic episode from her school days, reflecting on the silence, stigma and harsh realities young girls face on public transport.
Updated: November 17, 2025 6:35 PM IST
Stories of harassment on public transport are sadly far too common, but it hits differently when someone with a public profile speaks about the trauma they once carried quietly. Actor Lakshmi Manchu has now revisited a deeply disturbing experience from her teenage years, an incident she had long buried but could never forget.
In a conversation with Hauterrfly, the actor revealed that she was only 15 when she was touched inappropriately while travelling with her schoolmates, an experience that left her shaken, humiliated and unable to process what had just happened.
What happened that day?
Lakshmi explained that growing up as the daughter of veteran Telugu star Mohan Babu, her daily routine usually involved travelling with a driver, a bodyguard and often her mother. But for one school-related errand, students were taken by public transport to collect their exam hall tickets.
For Lakshmi, the idea of taking a bus with her friends felt exciting, a rare, normal school moment. But the situation quickly turned into a nightmare.
She recalled, “The violation I faced… what is this ugly feeling? I was 15 years old then. I don’t know if they knew I was a little child. I moved away and didn’t get into a fight. I shared it with my girlfriends, and they said it happened to them too. I wasn’t picked as a special girl for this to happen. It happens to everyone.”
The realisation that her friends had similar stories made the moment even more heartbreaking. It wasn’t an isolated incident; it was routine for many young girls.
Why didn’t she speak up?
Lakshmi said being from a well-known family often adds another layer of hesitation.
She explained, “Sometimes people will want to mess with you when you’re from a big family because we won’t come out and say it. A theft happens in my house, and I can’t go out and report it. Let the Rs 15,000 go, that’s how I have been raised. Be careful with your things, but if it goes out, you don’t want to put your name out there unnecessarily.”
Her words highlight how public figures often suppress their own trauma to avoid scrutiny, sensationalism or unwanted attention.
How did the MeToo movement affect her?
Lakshmi also revealed that when the MeToo movement erupted in India, she broke down emotionally because the experiences listed by the Women’s Commission hit too close to home.
She said she had “fallen down crying” reading the fliers, adding that every single thing mentioned there had happened to her at some point. For her, the movement acted like a mirror, painfully reflecting memories she had tried to hide even from herself.
What is Lakshmi Manchu doing now?
On the professional front, Lakshmi was last seen as a contestant on Karan Johar’s reality show The Traitors. Her candid admission now adds yet another layer to her public persona, someone who has carried silent trauma, fought through it, and is now choosing to speak up.
Highlights:
• Lakshmi Manchu recalls being inappropriately touched on public transport at age 15.
• Says she stayed silent because people from big families avoid unnecessary attention.
• Reveals MeToo movement triggered memories of every incident she had once buried.
