Manchu Manoj Turns Down Bollywood Buzz for Telugu Stories!

Fame’s a funny thing, it can pull you in all directions, but sometimes, your heart just wants to stay where it started. Manchu Manoj seems to be doing exactly that. After his wild, larger-than-life role as Mahabir Lamagot in Mirai, the actor is back in full swing. The fantasy action flick with Teja Sajja, Jagapathi Babu, Shriya Saran, Jayaram, and Ritika Nayak turned out to be a surprise hit, raking in more than ₹140 crores worldwide. Manoj’s intense screen presence and rough charm caught everyone’s attention, and soon enough, Bollywood came calling.

But here’s the twist, rumour is that he said no. Sources say Manoj got a few solid offers from Hindi filmmakers after Mirai, yet he turned them down without blinking. Apparently, he’s in no rush to jump industries. He wants to stick with Telugu stories, the kind that speak his language and come from his soil. There’s a certain comfort in that decision, a bit old-school maybe, but honest.

Those who know him say he’s been hearing scripts back-to-back in Hyderabad and is being picky about what comes next. He doesn’t just want another action-heavy role; he’s looking for something that hits deeper, more emotional. In a time when everyone’s chasing pan-India fame, Manoj seems content doing what feels real to him, even if it means going against the tide.

Up next, he’s joining Niharika Konidela’s quirky film What the Fish, which is supposed to mix humour and emotion in equal measure. It’s a sharp turn from Mirai’s grand world, but that’s Manoj for you, unpredictable, a bit stubborn, and always following his gut instead of the glitter. Maybe that’s what keeps him interesting.