She is yin to his yang. Jerry to his Tom. Together, they are the popular jodi from the stupendously successful Telugu web series, Geeta Subramanyam which, with more than a million viewers for each episode, has been a runaway success. The young stars highlighting the show, Manoj Krishna Tanneru and Darshini Sekhar who play the bickering couple in a live-in relationship are Telugu Industry’s newest digital stars, with a fan following amongst all ages.
While Manoj had dabbled in short films earlier, this is the first outing for Darshini who is studying architecture. Speaking of her foray into acting, she says, “I think it was just meant to happen. I was at home when a friend of my mine called and said that there were auditions happening for a web series. I went on a lark as I never had any intention to act and it all snowballed into what it is today. In fact, I reassured my mother who was apprehensive, by telling her that nothing would come of it.”
What began as an experimental web series proved to be an instant hit with the audience with the 13 episodes released so far doing exceedingly well. Manoj ascribes the success to its relatable story lines and credits both director/writer, Siva Sai Vardhan’s witty scripts and his chemistry with his co-star. He adds, “There is a lot of camaraderie on sets which translates onto the screen. Our director treats us like his kids and doesn’t say anything even if we mess up our takes which makes us want to deliver our best.”
The young actors say that the feedback they have received is mostly good. Manoj says, “I think the way the show deals with a live-in relationship made a lot of difference. It could be about any young couple whether they are married or going out.”
Another aspect which the show gets correct is the dynamics between modern day couples where both partners are equals in a relationship. Darshini shares that every episode connects to viewers and that she has been stopped in malls by 10-year-olds confessing to be fans. Manoj adds, “I think the writers pick out a lot of instances from real life which find an instant connect. Issues like couples squabbling over chores or maid troubles strike a chord with viewers.”
What was the most difficult for the youngsters to shoot? “Crying,” answers Darshini in a jiffy adding, “I had to cry only in one scene so far but it was really difficult. In the end, I managed without glycerin but it was a challenge.” Manoj says he finds learning the monologues a tad tricky adding, “I call them tongue twisters especially the ones we have to deliver in a single take but I’m currently getting a hang of them.”
Much like the screen couple that spars constantly, the duo keeps squabbling in real life too. “It’s usually over silly things like who ate my chocolate or drank my water but I think it helps us to translate our friendship on screen.”
Despite all the accolades, they did see the underbelly of virtual world with some users posting negative comments. Manoj shrugs it off saying, “It’s a part and parcel of being on YouTube! We have learnt to ignore them and move on.”
While Darshini who has recently won the SIIIMA award for the best actress in short film category says she has refused even movie offers as her focus is on education, Manoj makes no bones about the fact that he is living out his dream and wants to excel as an actor. For now, though both are happy to pose for selfies with fans as Geeta and Subramanyam.
