Actor: Venkatesh Maha

Biography: Venkatesh Maha left his house at the age of sixteen and worked at various jobs. He worked as a spot boy for the film Teen Maar (2011) before he made his acting debut with Aakasame Haddu that same year. His debut film C/o Kancharapalem (2018) was shot in the village of the same name. The cast of the film comprised entirely newcomers. Regarding his work in the film one critic noted that "Full marks to Venkatesh for not only coming up with a different kind of film but successfully carrying off the experiment of roping in locals for a film which is about themselves" whilst another stated that "If the director Venkatesh Maha is the brain behind this idea, he deserves credit yes". His next film was Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya, the remake of the Malayalam film Maheshinte Prathikaaram. The film featured Satyadev Kancharana in the lead role and was shot extensively in the Araku valley. Regarding his casting in the film, a critic wrote that "And a big shout to Venkatesh Maha’s casting choices, which makes the movie more relatable".