Manchu Manoj gets teary-eyed about comeback with Mirai, says many didn't want him to be cast in Teja Sajja film

At a success meet held for Mirai in Hyderabad, Manchu Manoj got emotional while talking about director Karthik Ghattamaneni believing in him.

Actor Manchu Manoj went through personal and professional upheaval before making a strong comeback. The actor got emotional at the success event held for his most recent release, Mirai, in Hyderabad on Saturday, mentioning how many warned director Karthik Ghattamaneni and producer TG Vishwa Prasad from casting him. Here’s what he said.

Manchu Manoj was away from films for years before making a comeback with Mirai.

Manchu Manoj gets emotional at Mirai meet

Manoj mentioned while talking to the press that it has been a while since he was last seen on-screen. He said, “It has probably been 10-12 years since my phone rang like this; it still feels like a dream. It took me a while to even get back to everyone who has been calling.” While thanking Karthik for casting him in the film, Manoj said, “I never said this out loud, but I’ve had an inherent fear of whether I could look after my kids the way I was brought up. I no longer have that fear now.”

Manoj also stated that producer Vishwa stuck by him and the rest of the team through negativity. “Even before HanuMan’s teaser was released, he believed in Teja Sajja and me. I know many warned him against casting me in a big film like this because it has been a while since I acted. But he believed in me and my talent. Hats off to him for that,” he said. Manoj also praised Teja and the rest of the cast for their performances in the film.

About Manchu Manoj

For the uninitiated, Manoj is the son of actor Mohan Babu and Nirmala Devi. He has two older siblings, Lakshmi Manchu and Vishnu Manchu, from Mohan’s previous marriage to Vidya Devi. In 2024, he publicly feuded with his brother Vishnu, but they seem to have buried the hatchet. He began his career as a child actor before making his debut as a lead with the 2004 film Donga Dongadi. He married Pranathi Reddy in 2015.

However, after his divorce from Pranathi and the 2017 film Okkadu Migiladu, Manoj took a break from films. In 2023, he married Bhuma Mounika. Their daughter was born in 2024; Mounika has a son from a previous marriage, too. In 2025, Manoj returned to cinema with Bellamkonda Sreenivas and Nara Rohit's co-starrer Bhairavam, but it received a lukewarm response. He received praise for playing the antagonist, Black Sword, in Mirai. He will soon star in What the Fish.