Pawan Kalyan on doing films after becoming Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh: "Filmmakers must forgive me, I need to concentrate on first serving people"

Pawan Kalyan

Actor-turned-politician Pawan Kalyan recently addressed the question of his future in the film industry during a public meeting in his constituency, Pithapuram, on Wednesday. The meeting drew significant attention as it was Kalyan's first major address since becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Known for his dual career as a film star and a politician, Kalyan's statements were eagerly awaited by both his fans and political supporters.

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Kalyan, who has a substantial following as an actor, clarified his stance on completing his pending film projects now that he holds a significant political office. When asked about his film career, Kalyan expressed a sense of commitment to his new role. "I made a promise. First, I want to concentrate on making this constituency better. No one should fault me for at least not filling potholes or building new roads," he stated. His message was clear: his priority is now the welfare of his constituency over his film commitments.

He humorously addressed the audience, "OG chestava, kya ji, ante mari em cheppanu? (What will I do if someone questions why I’m busy shooting for OG instead?)" l

Despite his commitment to politics, Kalyan has not entirely written off his film career. He revealed that he had spoken to his filmmakers, asking for their understanding and patience. "With that fear in my heart, I even told my filmmakers -- you must forgive me, but I need to concentrate on serving people first. I will shoot films only when I find the time for it," he said.

Kalyan's journey in politics began in earnest in 2014 when he founded his own political party, the JanaSena Party. Although the party did not achieve significant success in the 2019 elections, it made a historic comeback in 2024 by winning all 21 assembly seats it contested. This victory cemented Kalyan's position as a serious political contender and led to his current role as the Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh.

Over the past few years, Kalyan's focus has largely been on his political career. However, his film career has seen significant milestones as well. In 2018, he starred in Trivikram Srinivas' "Agnyaathavaasi," which was met with mixed reviews. He returned to cinema in 2021 with Venu Sriram’s "Vakeel Saab," a Telugu remake of the Hindi film "Pink." In 2022, he appeared in "Bheemla Nayak," another successful project. His latest film, "Bro," released in 2023, was a Telugu remake of the Tamil film "Vinodhaya Sitham."

Currently, Kalyan has three films on the floors awaiting completion. Among these, Sujeeth’s "OG" is the most anticipated by his fans. Additionally, he is involved in Harish Shankar’s "Ustaad Bhagat Singh," a Telugu remake of the Tamil film "Theri," and "Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 – Sword vs Spirit," directed by Krish and AM Jyothi Krishna. "OG" was originally scheduled for release on September 27 this year, but there has been no update on the new release date.