There’s a certain charm about seeing someone return to where it all began — the cameras flash, the lights dim and the applause rolls in, but their heart still remembers the dosa stalls, college streets, and sunsets at Necklace Road. That’s exactly what it felt like when Manasa Varanasi, former Miss India World walked into the Alphalete launch at Trident, Hyderabad. She looked as elegant as ever, but with a spark of home in her eyes.
In conversation with CE, Manasa spoke about how excited she was to be a part of the Alphalete launch in her own city. “I feel extremely excited as a fitness lover myself and grateful that a brand is committed to bringing trusted products to Hyderabad, which makes me feel both grateful and excited,” she expressed, the joy evident in her voice.
It’s not every day that a global fitness brand enters the city, and it’s not every day that someone like Manasa, who has taken the crown of Miss India and now treads the world of cinema, finds herself back in the place where it all started. Ask her about her childhood and the first thing that comes to her mind is simple, but vivid. “Oh my gosh, so many, but I think just hanging out with my friends at Necklace Road,” she said smiling, like she could still hear the laughter echoing from her teenage evenings.
Her journey to Miss India wasn’t born out of a pageant dream as a little girl, but rather from a quiet tug she felt much later. “I was working in a corporate office after becoming a computer science engineer, but deep down I had the curiosity to do more, explore, pursue something bigger, and Miss India happened,” Manasa recalled. That curiosity led her to a new path; one where confidence replaced code, and curiosity turned into courage.
Despite all the stages she’s graced, the nerves, she admitted, “Today I definitely feel a lot less nervous than I used to many years ago, but then again, I think some jitters are very normal; over the course of my journey, I have just learned to make friends with the nervousness.”
If there’s one thing that lights her up as much as being on stage, it’s food. “The best food is always at ammamma’s house, followed by many dosa bandis that I love. I used to live in Himayatnagar, so that area is very special and has a lot of eateries.” Her palate was shaped by the humble and hearty flavours in this area, and she still holds on to that love for food, even with a fitness routine in place.
“Train smart, not hard,” she said when asked about her fitness mantra. “I think diet is everything, but diet and exercise go together as a couple, so both are important for fitness,” she added, noting that is a foodie and splurges a lot, but balance it out with a lot of exercise. “I am grateful to my ammamma and my mom for giving me good metabolic genes,” Manasa quipped.
For the beauty queen, outer beauty isn’t everything; nourishing inner beauty also matters. “I think just being positive, being very grateful for what’s there in life, and staying driven and passionate about designing and building new things is what keeps me going,” she shared thoughtfully.
She revealed that she has been unlearning habits that are helping her grow as a person. “I am unlearning people-pleasing and being overly nice by being a bit of a mean girl,” Manasa explained.
As she steps into her next chapter, cinema has her full attention. “It’s been magical because this is exactly where I want to be, and I am so passionate about cinema and my journey as an actor,” she said, revealing that her debut film Couple Friendly with UV Creations is set to release soon. “It’s releasing very soon, in just a few months, so stay tuned because you should definitely watch it in theatres when it comes out,” she excitedly said. So, what is one lesson she has learned in acting? “To just be unhinged, confident and to breathe. And whatever character it is, to let loose... ” she advised.
In a world that often rushes towards the next milestone, Manasa Varanasi stands grounded, celebrating where she comes from, honouring who she is becoming, and doing it all with grace, laughter and a little help from ammamma’s meals.