Brie Larson, who won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Room on Monday, has a Telugu connection. She is actually a good friend of Manchu Lakshmi. In fact the two had acted together in a film titled Basmati Blues.
“I am very happy that my best friend won the Oscar,” says Manchu Lakshmi, adding that she got many messages when Brie won on Monday.
“I don’t even know if Brie herself got so many messages, but my inbox was full,” said a delighted Lakshmi.
Brie has also attended several family functions of the Manchus — she was even here for Manchu Manoj’s wedding last year. “She likes our typical Telugu pickles. Whenever we meet, we discuss food,” Lakshmi said with a laugh..
And Brie had even taken back parcels of pickles with her after the wedding.
“She likes gongura and chintakaya chutneys,” revealed Lakshmi.
She added, “She has been a good friend of mine since my LA days and we have kept in touch. We meet whenever I am in LA.”
Lakshmi knew Brie would get the Oscar the minute she heard her friend was nominated. “I woke early to watch the Oscars… and when her name was announced I jumped with joy. I just can’t talk more about our bond, because people may assume I’m using her for my own publicity which I don’t want.
“But it was always fun when I sat with Brie and her friends at the dining table. They used to eat with both hands and for my father (Mohan Babu), it took a little time to get used to see them eat like that,” says Lakshmi.
She now feels that Basmati Blues, a musical in which she plays the hero’s sister, might be pushed for a release after Brie’s Oscar win.
