Lakshmi Sindhuja is a production designer and art lover living her life to the fullest. With work that immensely satisfying, the Telugu Film Industry is her second home. A staunch believer in being independent, she portrays an aura of positivity. A go getter, Lakshmi endorses the philosophy of choosing what you want to be and never giving up. She takes challenges in her stride and approaches life with great energy. Production design, work behind the camera, is as important as work before it. The creativity that goes into the art of bringing a set to life is truly beautiful work. She is a part of this effort that brings together the whole scene with balance. Lakshmi is fully dedicated to her role in Cinema, giving it her love and getting it back manifold. Let us have a brief glimpse into this feminine as well as strong individual who stands for women empowerment.
Family and values
Lakshmi Sindhuja Grandhi was born in Hyderabad on 1st December in 1992. Her parents GV Subba Rao and Sunitha Lakshmi handle business, with both contributing their strengths to it. Independent and caring is how Lakshmi and her siblings were raised. They taught them to be rooted no matter what, respect elders and to be fair in every manner possible. An example of great parenting, they also taught them values like never feeling inferior and standing strong.
Lakshmi is the eldest among 3 sisters. Dr Lakshmi Mounica is a healthcare professional and Sri Harshitha is pursuing her CA. “We are called the Three Musketeers,” she says with a grin. After all of them have entered their respective professional circle, they have very little time to spend with each other face to face, but often come together through video calls.
Badminton, Holi, Diwali, festivals, cinemas, restaurants for Sunday dinners, every memory signifies their simple and happy times. With deep affection, she considers the bond that they share as a family something unique and strongly believes that though they are far apart, they are together all the time. “The values and respect in which you are raised is how we function in a society,” she notes.
Biggest lessons from family
For Lakshmi Sindhuja, all the lessons learnt from her family shaped her into the woman she is today. She dearly misses her grandmother and grandfather. Her grandmother was an extraordinary person with a sweet personality.
Lakshmi Sindhuja and her grandmother had frequent night time conversations about her dreams and how she wanted to be in life. “She was the first one to trust me, that’s the kind of bond we shared,” she remembers.
Another pool of wisdom comes from her mother. She taught her to never bow down her head. Lakshmi learnt that if she feels certain that something is right, she should stand for it. She acknowledges that the kind of love and warmth she shares towards all three of her kids isn’t easy. “I know how hard it is for her to answer why and how all the three girls are still ‘working’ and not ‘settling down.’ She makes sure that we are on the right path no matter what,” she says proudly.
Lakshmi’s father is their back bone. In the past, when relatives commented that he is going to have a tough time raising three girls, he simply said “I have three Lakshmi’s at home.” “That’s how much he loves us,” she gushes.
He respects her grandmother, mother and the decisions they take. He taught the sisters that being a woman is a strength and not a weakness. He makes sure they are vigilant and solve issues on their own. This became their way of life, as this way they aren’t dependent on anyone ever.
Be it starting a bank account or checking in at the airport, he instructs them on what to do and makes sure they get through it right.
Education and its impact
The major part of her schooling was from Gomathy International School. Lakshmi Sindhuja completed her graduation from PSG Tech, Coimbatore. Her school had a considerable impact on her as they gave importance to the overall development of a kid. In fact, they actually built a curriculum that would suit anyone.
During her 8th standard, she was selected for Balashri Awards for the national levels, representing the South in Science and Technology. “That was a huge moment for me and a responsibility, I trained every day and night for the finals and missed out on all my classes. Aruna Ma’am, my mom and my teachers made sure I didn’t feel left out or too stressed, I was given so many privileges and I understood the meaning of responsibility,” she notes.
After the competition, when she got back the support that the management and friends gave her, it was unforgettable. She still thanks them for it.
Support system
Lakshmi Sindhuja has a strong support system in her life in the form of family and friends. “I tried distancing myself when I was going through something, thinking that family and emotions drowned me but they were the only reason I could stay afloat and sail by,” she shares.
She has a lot of friends and they each share a different bond. She feels she hasn’t found that one ‘Best Friend’ but has friends that she bonds with.
Training and skills
Lakshmi Sindhuja had trained in Interior Designing, Colour Therapy and Art Therapy. These may have given her the skills required for her job, but the skills that helped her in the industry are much more. She says that common sense and how we interact with and relate to a person are important skills.
“I initially had a tough time dealing with people because of the language and the mindset. I realized over a period of time that walking away from the situation will give you a different perspective and give you a better understanding on how to deal with a situation,” she points out wisely.
Further, Lakshmi enjoys her hobby of reading and collecting books. She has a delightful fixation for stationary. She has pens and other material that she had collected from every part of the world. “I’m crazy about them. I have a room full of these,” she agrees happily.
Positive attitude towards the workplace
Lakshmi Sindhuja has made her mark in the Telugu Film Industry. The path may be paved with pebbles, but she has a positive spin to it. “I wouldn’t say struggles but I would call them challenges. It’s nice to face such challenges, they keep you strong,” she states.
Speaking about her biggest inspiration in life, she says Micheal Jackson, his music and his passion created a lot of impact on her life.
She found her first chance to work in the Industry in a simple, straightforward way. “I met my sir through a mutual friend who is a director for the same movie and the journey started,” she says. For her, the first opportunity may have been an easy one, but to find further chances in the future is the tricky part. This she mentions with a quirky lightness.
“It’s a journey, the path is here till your heart and mind are content and happy,” she says philosophically. Passion may or may not have played a role in her endeavours so far. However, she says she is just happy to be living one moment at a time. With the experience she gained, she plans to continue the journey as far as she can in life.
This has always been her mantra. She amusingly mentions that if she can actually plan her life, she would plan it differently. “Like I said, taking it one experience at a time. And yeah maybe I would want to be in Neverland,” she concludes with a laugh.
Happiness through profession
Lakshmi Sindhuja feels everyday is an achievement in her line of work. As far as she is concerned, she is all in. Showing her dedication, she states, “if there is a plan B, then I wouldn’t love this 100 percent.”
Revealing an insight into her ups and downs, she says that ‘trust’ is a very fragile thing. “I wouldn’t again categorize them as ups and downs but as experiences that taught me who to and when to trust.”
Besides her fulfilling work, she is also a pet parent, music lover and a volunteer for many social causes. These include teaching kids English and art.
Current and upcoming projects
Lakshmi’s most recent work is Thalaivi and The Radio. She is currently working for a Nagarjuna starter and Praveen Sattaru project.