Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

The most famous Indian star you haven’t heard of

AMAZING STORY OF HOW AN UNEDUCATED ELDERLY

WOMAN BECAME A MASSIVE GLOBAL YOUTUBE STAR


by ASJAD NAZIR

THE most famous acting star you have likely never heard of is an elderly Indian woman, who has quietly become a YouTube sensation in the past few years and garnered millions of views on the video-sharing platform.

Milkuri Gangavva has gone from a life of struggle that has included backbreaking farming work to playing the lead role in popular YouTube series My Village Show, and now, she has fans all over the world, despite not being able to read or write.

The overnight star from Lambadipally village in the Karimnagar district of India doesn’t know her real age, which is now thought to be in the early sixties. She has also acted in movies, appeared on TV and interviewed A-list movie stars thanks to the amazing YouTube success. The story of how she went from obscurity and an incredibly hard life to becoming famous is one of the most inspiring ones you are likely to encounter from an acting star.

Gangavva lost both parents early on and was married off as a child bride at a very young age, thought to be under 10-years-old, by her grandparents and by the time she was 26 years old had given birth to four children. She wasn’t given any type of education and was put to work at a very young age, ploughing the fields, cutting grass and even heavy lifting as a coolie to support her family.

At one stage, she had to roll up cigarettes to earn a little extra money to supplement her meagre income.

What made matters worse was an alcoholic and abusive husband, who passed away, and very little support from other family members.

The determined woman lived a life of extreme poverty and worked hard until young filmmaker Srikanth Sriram cast her in his Telugu language YouTube series My Village Show. The village set comedy has a colourful cast of characters played by real people, but the fiery Gangavva stood out and became the break out star in a series that raises awareness about various issues in a humorous way.

It wasn’t long before she went from being a bit-part player to becoming the centre of the action.

After being under the radar for a year the show went viral with the 2017 episode Village Internet Problems, which quickly gained millions of views. This triggered a wave of popularity, with subsequent short films in the series getting millions of views and a surge in subscribers.

Soon after, My Village Show channel received a Gold Play Button award from YouTube for crossing a million subscribers, which the sari clad star proudly posed with for media. The channel now has more than 1,500,000 subscribers and one episode about drunk driving has been viewed over 32 million times.

That YouTube success has led to her acting in films, including iSmart Shankar and Mallesham, appearing on prime time TV shows in India and being invited to high-profile live events. Gangavva was also given the opportunity to interview superstar actress Samantha Akkineni during the promotions of smash hit movie Oh Baby.

That interview between the loveable YouTube granny and the A-list Indian superstar has clocked up over five million YouTube views in total. Other film stars have sought her out and even senior politicians have become fans.

An Instagram account dedicated to her has more than 43,000 followers.

The videos are continuing to clock up millions of views and the heavy demand has led to them having English subtitles.

What makes her acting achievements all the more remarkable is that Gangavva can’t read or write so she either memorises the lines told to her verbally or has to improvise.

Gangavva has been able to clear off old debts and for the first time in her life is able to finally slow down from her backbreaking work.

The inspiring elder has become a hero in her local village and given hope to those living in extreme poverty in the rural areas of India.

Gangavva always puts out empowering quotes and one that sums her up came when an interviewer asked if she applies makeup before a shot, to which the fearless granny replied: “I never powder or lipstick, I look absolutely perfect without it, don’t I?”

Visit YouTube & Instagram: @MyVillageShow and Instagram: @gangavva

More For You

Charithra Chandran Wimbledon

Chandran wore lambskin shorts and a green cashmere sweater for her Wimbledon appearance

Instagram/charithra17/Twitter/charithra files

Charithra Chandran brings ‘Bridgerton’ elegance to Wimbledon in timeless Ralph Lauren look

Highlights:

  • Charithra Chandran attended Wimbledon as a Ralph Lauren ambassador, turning heads in a vintage-inspired ensemble.
  • Her look echoed Bridgerton character Edwina Sharma, with soft curls and a classic summer palette.
  • Fans online praised her poise and outfit, with many saying she outshone stars like Andrew Garfield.
  • The actress wore a green cashmere sweater, tailored lambskin shorts and white Nappa pumps.

Charithra Chandran’s Wimbledon appearance might have been behind Hollywood stars Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro, but her crisp summer ensemble made sure all eyes found her. Dressed head-to-toe in Ralph Lauren, the British-Indian actress brought understated elegance and old-school charm to Centre Court, and social media took notice.

 Charithra Chandran Wimbledon Charithra Chandran styled her hair in soft curls for the Ralph Lauren outfitInstagram/charithra17/

Keep ReadingShow less
Amazon Prime Day 2025

Running from 8–11 July, the sale is exclusively available to Prime members

iStock

Prime Day 2025 brings huge discounts on electronics including Apple, Samsung, Sony and more

Highlights

  • Amazon Prime Day runs until 11 July, with major savings on electronics
  • Apple AirPods Pro 2, iPad 11th-gen, and MacBook Air M4 hit all-time low prices
  • Samsung Galaxy phones, Sony headphones and Fire TV devices also see deep cuts
  • Prime Day is exclusive to Amazon Prime members, but free trial users can also access deals

Biggest electronics sale of the year

Amazon’s four-day Prime Day 2025 event has delivered a flood of deals on popular electronics, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, headphones and more. Running from 8–11 July, the sale is exclusively available to Prime members, though new users can sign up for a 30-day free trial to access the discounts.

As part of this year’s event, several top-rated products from Apple, Samsung, Sony and Amazon itself have seen some of their lowest-ever prices. According to The Independent’s senior tech critic Alex Lee, “Apple discounts are notoriously rare — but this Prime Day is a clear exception.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Hermes Birkin handbag

The handbag is now the most valuable ever sold at auction

Reuters

Hermes Birkin handbag fetches record £7.4m at Paris auction

Highlights:

  • The original Hermes Birkin bag sold for £7.4m at Sotheby’s Paris.
  • It belonged to British actress and singer Jane Birkin.
  • The handbag is now the most valuable ever sold at auction.
  • It ranks as the second most expensive fashion item sold globally.

A record-breaking sale

The original Hermes Birkin handbag, once owned by British actress and singer Jane Birkin, has been sold for £7.4 million at a Sotheby’s auction in Paris, setting a new world record for the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction.

The sale, held on Thursday, saw the iconic fashion item exceed all expectations, with Sotheby’s calling it “a startling demonstration of the power of a legend.” The bag is now also the second most expensive fashion item ever sold at auction, following the £24 million paid for Judy Garland’s ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz in 2024.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barbie with type 1 diabetes

This is also part of Mattel’s mission to extend the boundaries of imaginative play

Mattel

Mattel introduces first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes to promote inclusion

Highlights

  • Mattel launches new Barbie with type 1 diabetes
  • The doll features a glucose monitor, insulin pump and CGM app
  • Created in collaboration with type 1 diabetes charity Breakthrough T1D
  • Part of Mattel’s broader push for inclusivity and representation in toys

Barbie with type 1 diabetes joins inclusive fashionistas range

Mattel has launched its first diabetes Barbie doll, designed to represent children with type 1 diabetes and promote greater inclusivity in children’s toys.

The new addition to the Barbie Fashionistas line comes with realistic medical features including a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm, secured with heart-shaped medical tape, and an insulin pump to help manage her blood sugar levels. She also carries a smartphone with a CGM app to monitor glucose throughout the day, and a bag large enough to store snacks and other essentials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Schiaparelli exhibition UK

Italian-born French fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli

Getty Images

V&A announces UK’s first Schiaparelli exhibition as Natasha Poonawalla’s Met Gala looks make a comeback

“In difficult times fashion is always outrageous.” – Elsa Schiaparelli.

The Victoria & Albert Museum has announced its first ever UK exhibition dedicated to Elsa Schiaparelli, the visionary designer who blurred the boundaries between fashion, art and performance. Titled Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, it runs from 21 March to 1 November 2026 in the Sainsbury Gallery and will draw on the V&A’s status as home to Britain’s National Collection of Dress and its foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments.

Keep ReadingShow less