Sushmita Sen, Rakul Preet, Tapsee Pannu at Lakshmi Manchu\'s Birthday Party

Popular actress Lakshmi Manchu hosted a grand gala party on her birthday on October 8. The party saw who’s who from tinsel world in attendance. LaMa (Lakshmi Manchu) visited Vaishno Devi and Golden Temple to begin her day, but later chilled out with her 20-odd friends like Rakul Preet Singh, Tapsee and Kriti Kharbanda among others. “Sushmita Sen's arrival at the party came as a pleasant surprise for me,” says Lakshmi Manchu in an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle.

You hosted a grand gala party for your friends in Mumbai on your birthday?

I have been doing it for many years since I like Mumbai and my friends who turn up every year to make my birthday special and memorable. This time, the participation of beauty queen Sushmita Sen gave me a lot of happiness and joy. I always admired her as an actor and activist and also for living her life unapologetically. I salute her for her guts. Of course, 20-odd guests flew down from Hyderabad to celebrate with me and it was an everlasting night out.

We heard that you turned spiritual and visited pilgrim centres like Vaishno Devi Temple?

I visited the renowned Vaishno Devi Temple and also the Golden Temple to seek blessings on my birthday. Even last year, I had been to a special spiritual place in the entire universe called Bhinmal on Gujarat-Rajasthan border, where Goddess Lakshmi Devi and Lord Vishnu met and proposed to the world to lead happy married lives. I also checked out a Jain temple in that region. I turned spiritual long ago through Yoga , but not limiting myself to performing poojas. I realised the ‘beauty of breath’ for peace and tranquility. I also follow Sadhguru Vasudev and seek the blessings of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala quite often.

Your bonding with actress Rakul Preet Singh is growing by the day?

We are very close and we celebrate our birthdays together as we share a great bonding. Even during lockdown, we booked two villas in Goa and just spent our time eating and swimming for two or three days. She is very friendly and jovial too. Actress Tapsee is another close friend of mine and we are in regular touch. Kriti Kharbanda is also part of my friend circuit along with many others.

You seem to have pinned huge hopes on your film ‘Agninakshatram’?

I am eagerly looking forward to this cop story which boasts of high-octane action sequences and I got specially trained to get my kicks and punches right. It would be a gripping action adventure.