Indian Grandmother Becomes YouTube Star

An Indian grandmother reached celebrity status after starring in YouTube videos. Gangavva Milkuri [GUHNG-guh-vuh MIL-ku-ree] rose to fame through her son-in-law’s YouTube channel called “My Village Show.” With more than 1.6 million subscribers, the channel features funny sketches about rural life and culture. Gangavva appeared in a few videos on the channel as a guest before becoming more involved in 2017. When she became a regular part of the show, the channel started to attract more viewers. According to her son-in-law, Gangavva appeals to fans because they find her expressive acting and humor entertaining. Before becoming a YouTube star, Gangavva led a difficult life. She is illiterate and had no formal education beyond first grade. She dealt with an alcoholic husband and looked after her children all by herself. To support her family, she worked on her in-laws’ farm and rolled cigarettes. Gangavva said that she did not know about YouTube before being featured in her son-in-law’s show. She thought that he was wasting his time by filming plants and trees in the village. Gangavva’s life has changed drastically since she became a famous YouTube star. Her popularity even landed her roles in some mainstream films in India. Through the advertisements shown in her videos, Gangavva was able to secure a steady income, which she used to settle her debts. She and her son-in-law also shared the earnings with their village.