Dada: Manchu Manoj Has a Big Chance to Reinvent Himself

Manchu Manoj and Balakrishna in Dada

Manchu Manoj is slowly finding a new space for himself. After Mirai, where he took on a negative shade, he is now doing another important antagonist role in Balakrishna’s Dada. And this one could matter a lot more for his career.

There is a reason Dada stands out.

We have already seen what a Balakrishna film can do for an actor playing the villain. Jagapathi Babu’s turn as Jitendra in Legend is the best example. He was already a well-known hero, but Legend completely changed the way the industry looked at him. The film opened the doors for his second innings as one of the most wanted character and antagonist actors.

Manoj now has a similar opportunity in front of him.

Mirai showed that he can step into darker roles. But Dada puts him directly opposite Balakrishna, and that gives him a much bigger stage. If the character is written strongly and gets enough space against Balayya, this could be the film that makes filmmakers look at Manoj differently.

That is the real opportunity here.

It is easy for an actor to play a negative role once. The bigger challenge is to make people believe that he belongs in that space. Manoj needs a character that is not just there for a few confrontations with the hero, but one that has enough attitude, weight and screen presence to leave an impression.

The reports around Dada suggest that Manoj’s character has a ruthless side. More importantly, director Gopichand Malineni has indicated that the role has good visibility in the film.

If Dada works and his character clicks, this could be more than another film for him. It could be the beginning of a new phase where Manoj starts getting regular offers as a villain and antagonist.