Manchu Manoj on 'Mirai' success: I've seen people screaming in theaters
Manchu Manoj is feeling grateful after fans cheered his villain role in Mirai, saying, "I've seen people in theaters screaming when my character comes on-screen."
He called this warm welcome "devudu ichina daya" (God's grace) and thanked his family for supporting him as he returned to movies after a break.
'Mirai's plot and box office collection
Mirai, which hit theaters on September 12, 2024, is an action-fantasy where Manoj plays Mahabir Lama, also known as The Black Sword—a tough villain facing off against hero Vedha Prajapati.
Manoj compared Mahabir to Thanos from Avengers in terms of being a powerful antagonist and separately stated that Mahabir is fighting for equality and is angry at God for the world's injustice.
The movie has already pulled in over ₹56.75 crore in just five days.
Fans want to see more of this new avatar
After mostly playing lead roles for nearly 20 years, Manoj switched things up with this full-on villain part.
He reportedly earned ₹2.75-3 crore—more than the film's lead actor—which shows how much producers value him now.
Fans are loving this "Manchu Manoj 2.0" vibe and want to see him take on more intense roles ahead.