Almost a decade ago, when the people of Lambadipally, Telangana, decided to share bits of their lives on the YouTube channel My Village Show, little did they know their world was about to change. Staggering views, love from celebrities and fans alike, and a lot of exposure later, Anil Geela is playing the lead actor in the Zee5 web series Mothevari Love Story. Incidentally, it’s directed by Burra Shiva Krishna, who is also an alum of the channel. In a candid interview with Hindustan Times, Anil talks about playing the lead, his love for acting, how the Deverakonda brothers supported his career and more.
My Village Show alum goes places
Anil says the spark for acting began even before he could’ve dreamt of seeing himself on the big screen. “Whenever I would act on YouTube, it would spark a deep interest in me. Soon, people approached me for cameos in star-driven films. And when I saw myself on the big screen, I knew I could move beyond playing small roles and maybe even play the lead some day,” says Anil.
Some of his co-stars from the YouTube channel – Gangavva, Raju, Chandru, Anji Maama and others – have also forayed into films, bringing visibility to the whole team. “Our work brought us recognition, and it’s all the more special because people from our region rarely get a chance to act in films. All this was only possible because we believed in creating quality entertainment which brought us closer to the audience,” he says.
The making of Mothevari Love Story
Mothevari Love Story sticks to Anil’s roots by telling the story of two youngsters from rural Telangana who decide to elope, only to find themselves in odd circumstances. “This web series was created with today’s audience in mind – people who are caught up in stressful jobs and busy lives. We wanted to bring them some fun, laughter, and a break from daily stress. The series uses pure Telangana slang and reflects real village life,” explains the actor.
It helped that the series’ story is based on real-life drama that Anil says happens in many rural households. He also says that all the actors who acted in it are from Telangana and fluent in the dialect, making it all the more authentic. “We’re proud to represent our region with honesty,” he says, adding, “Right now, films and series rooted in Telangana culture are getting a lot of appreciation, and we feel lucky to be a part of that. We’ve been creating Telangana-based rural content for a decade, so this comes very naturally to us.”
Anil also cannot believe that the channel evolved from something simple to producing content like Mothevari Love Story today. “Many of our team members acted in it, our writer is now the director, our production manager is the producer. What more could I ask for?” he says.
The Deverakonda brothers’ support
Anil and the rest of the My Village Show crew might all be self-made, but the actor says acting in Vijay Deverakonda’s 2020 film World Famous Lover boosted his confidence. It also made him decide that he is looking to play strong characters that support the story, be it as a lead or otherwise. “My focus is not just on being the lead, but on acting in roles that suit me and allow me to grow. I want to continue acting and take on meaningful projects,” he says.
His YouTube channel has hosted numerous stars promoting their films over the years, and Anil believes that ‘goodwill’ is now helping him. “I want to give a big thanks to Anand Deverakonda, Tarun Bhascker, Priyadarshi, and many others who supported us by sharing posts and stories of the series on social media,” he says, adding, “But the biggest push came from Vijay Deverakonda anna. He gave me my first big opportunity in cinema. It played a huge role in my career. Later, when we approached Anand Deverakonda to release our series’ poster, he agreed to do so. Their support has made a major impact on my journey, and I’m truly thankful to both of them.”
