India, Sept. 17 -- After an eight-year hiatus from cinema, Manchu Manoj made a comeback this year with Bhairavam, and more importantly, Mirai, which is currently running in theatres. The fantasy film, which has clocked over Rs.90 crore worldwide in four days of release, sees him play the antagonist Mahabir Lama, aka Black Sword. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Manoj reveals why he said yes to playing the villain after two decades of playing the hero, how he buys into his character's motivations and more.

The response for his character Mahabir in theatres has been as great as for the film's protagonist Vedha, played by Teja Sajja, with many lauding Manoj's performance. "I've seen people in theatres screaming when my character comes ...