Watch: Manasa Varanasi’s Super Cute Interview On Gulte Pro

Former Miss India Manasa Varanasi is gradually making her mark in cinema. In a recent interaction with Ram for Gulte Pro, she opened up about moving from a structured corporate life into the unpredictable world of films and how Couple Friendly changed her outlook.

Manasa spent a significant part of her childhood in Malaysia and later completed engineering before working in a software company for two years. Even during that phase, she felt she was meant for something more creative. Films, however, were never a serious passion initially. They were just a way to relax. That perception shifted completely after working on Couple Friendly. She says the film made her genuinely fall in love with the craft of filmmaking.

Coming from a Miss India background, she was used to always appearing flawless. But for this film, she had to let go of that polished image. The director wanted her to look natural, without heavy makeup, and portray a regular working woman with realistic imperfections. She admits that unlearning the habit of always looking perfect was challenging but necessary. According to her, flawed characters feel more authentic and relatable.

Interestingly, she has died four times on screen so far. Instead of seeing it as something unusual, she views it symbolically. For her, every onscreen death feels like a rebirth, a chance to return stronger with a new character.

She also mentioned that the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert played an important role in her transition from corporate life to acting. The idea of not letting fear control one’s decisions encouraged her to take risks and follow a creative path.

Manasa hinted at an upcoming Tamil project that is currently in the workshop stage and described her role as bold and very different from her earlier performances. More than anything, she wants to be recognized for her acting ability rather than her Miss India title. She believes Couple Friendly has helped her take a meaningful step in that direction.