Lakshmi Manchu is doing a chat show titled 'Feet Up With The Stars' for a streaming site. In this interview, she talks about the relevance of such shows, her vision, why she loves doing celeb interviews, her idea of empowerment of women, why she thinks saas-bahu serials are a menace and more.

Diverse content

The way the media is, the way the world is, there is so much in entertainment. Be it Netflix, Amazon Prime or something else, they are doing a lot of exciting things. We in India can create diverse content.

Celeb interviews are cool

Digital media gives me a lot of freedom. In Mumbai, celebrities are open to giving interviews. That culture is not as widely prevalent in Hyderabad. It's slowly changing, though. I partly take the credit for it. Celebs are amazing human beings whose beauty I want to explore by interviewing them.

Engaging celeb friends

Doing celeb interviews has been a great experience. My latest chat show is streaming on VOOT. I have interviewed Samantha, Varun Tej, etc. I can't ask questions that are too personal. The guests come on my show because they believe that I will protect them. Sometimes, a celeb might tell me what questions I shouldn't ask them. I tell them I will ask them whatever comes to my mind but if there is anything that they are not comfortable with, it will be edited out.

Respecting my hosts

I am being different on the show. I am asking new kinds of questions and letting my guests be candid and share their secrets. Celebs can't be asked stupid questions, their space has to be respected. There have been scores of talk shows, but what I am bringing to the table is new. The casual setting of the show, the dress that celebs wear on my show - everything is different.

Celebs live fast-changing lives

Celebs keep changing in terms of look, etc. There are always new things to ask them. We live our lives in fast mode. If you go to Prabhas, you would find that he is very different from how he was just two years ago. Samantha has changed a lot after marriage.

Doing it my way

There are things only I can do and nobody can do them my way. I would like to interview a range of people, including sportspersons and politicians. But VOOT chooses which celebs I have to interview. They give me a list of celebs from whom I have to choose.

It changed my guests

My show 'Memu Saitham' changed the celebs who came on it. Some of them are in touch with the people they helped to this day. On the other hand, 'Feet Up With The Stars' is a lively, lifestyle show.

Doing different things

Web-series is like doing four movies in half the time. When I was doing TV, people asked me how I was handling both cinema and TV. I can't do just one thing at a time.

Female fans love me

This year has helped me do self-searching. I have travelled a lot and it has helped me a great deal. My biggest strength is that many female fans tell me that they are inspired by me to be themselves. Such kind of empowerment is very important.

I am for public service

Every time there is an election, there are rumours that I will be in politics. I am interested in public service. I have taken up shows like Memu Saitham for the same reason. I have grown up with a number of second-generation politicians. But we are scared to meet in public because we are scared how it might be perceived. Artists don't have vote banks. We love people of all sects, communities.

Social media negativity

There is a lot of negativity on social media. Nani, for example, received so much hatred during Bigg Boss. I was taken aback by the negativity, especially because he is such a sweet guy who is always good to others.

Need to be open, broad-minded

The world is becoming borderless, thanks to technology, globalization, etc. My daughter identifies herself as a human being first. We have to be more and more open. The day the saas-bahu serials stop, it will be much better. I can't produce such sops, as they bring in negativity. We need liberating content. We need sit-coms, we need healthy entertainment, we need progressive programs.