Did you know? Actor and politician Pawan Kalyan is a trained martial artist

Pawan Kalyan

Pawan Kalyan turns 58 today. The actor and politician is one of the most loved celebrities in the Telugu speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. He is the younger brother of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi and uncle to actors like Allu Arjun and Ram Charan. Even though he has appeared in fewer films, he has amassed a huge fan following in his career over two decades. While he made his acting debut in the 1990s, did you know he wanted to become a director? On his birthday today, we look at some interesting facts about the actor.

1. Pawan Kalyan wanted to become a director. However, it was Chiranjeevi's wife Surekha Konidela who convinced Pawan to give a shot at acting and nudged him in that direction. He made his acting debut in the year 1996 with the film 'Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi' which was a remake of 'Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'.

2. His real name is Konidela Kalyan Babu. He took up the name Pawan after organising a martial event to showcase his talents in Karate.

3. Pawan Kalyan is a trained martial artist and holds a black belt in Karate. So all the stunts you see the actor perform on screen came from his professional training. He also worked as a stunt coordinator for his films such as Kushi, Teen Maar, and Badri doing complete justice to his 'Power star' tag.

4. Pawan Kalyan joined active politics in 2014 when he announced his own political party named Jana Sena Party. However, he was criticised for being a part-time politician. To this Pawan said he is willing to quit films and focus on party work. In 2024, he found success in the Lok Sabha polls and was elected as deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh.

5. The actor finally realised his dream of becoming a director and made his directorial debut with the Telugu film 'Johnny' in 2003. The sports drama was released amid huge expectations and became the first film to hit over 250 screens. However, it did not live up to its expectations at the box office.