Nagesh Muntha, one of the producers of Pawan Kalyan's current film, Panjaa, writes about the power star on the eve of Pawan Kalyan completing 15 years.
On September 2nd, some years back, a small miracle happened in the skies of a sleepy town in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It’s not every day that the folks of this picturesque town see the brilliance of a shooting star in the cosmic spread. The omen unmistakably foretold of the greatness to come. I guess someone up there was intently listening, for he immediately granted their wish. It’s not a coincidence that “Power Star Pawan Kalyan” was precisely born on the same day! Born as Konidela Kalyan Babu he rose like a phoenix to become the undisputed and the biggest icon of Telugu Cinema in the 21st century.
Through his 15-year film career, Pawan Kalyan has carved a distinct identity for himself. Without a doubt, Pawan Kalyan is the single biggest super star of Tollywood and to say that he enjoys a demigod status in the hearts and eyes of the people is an understatement. “Power Star” as he is fondly known as, is a box office power house with his every movie setting the benchmark for collections and reach.
His penchant for perfection is well known and all his movies bear the hall mark of his intense performances - be it be the quintessential lover boy in “Tholi Prema”, the naxalite in “Jalsa”, the martial arts fighter in “Johnny”, the angry young man in “Badri”, the fashion icon in “Balu”, the fun loving guy in “Teenmaar” and the deserving brother in “Thammudu”.
His versatility has been his forte and he continues to wow the audiences with his brilliant portrayal of every roll that he enacted. His movies have always been interlaced with a social message or an issue that needs attention in the society.
He has always had the conviction to step forward and work with aspiring and untested talent to deliver some of the finest successes at the box-office. His phenomenal success is not the result of a well ironed and time tested ‘recipe for success’- in other words it has never followed an algorithmic path. Adhering to a formula has never been his forte and this is amply evident in his zeal for breaking new ground in uncharted territories. The list of technicians/directors and new talent that were baptized by him is endless. He constantly strives to experiment with his roles and style with stupendous success. It is simply his conviction and his belief in new ideas and talent that paved the way for a new generation of film makers and technicians for this Industry.
His popularity soared with millions of people adding to his fan base with each one of his films. Pawan Kalyan is no less than a “messiah” for his millions of fans that adore him. That he has reached cult status is probably an understatement. His fan base grows larger and multiplies several folds with his every movie release. His reach crosses geographical boundaries and extends into Tamilnadu, Orissa, Kerala and Karnataka too. His popularity in the NRI community is also huge and it shows in the global box office collections.
Personal - Unbeknownst to the masses it is the way in which he conducts himself that draws millions of hitherto hidden admirers from every quadrant of the society. He has a mammoth cult following - yet he chooses to lead a very quiet and very simple life. He is a man of few words and believes in leading a simple life despite the “larger than life” image he enjoys.
PANJAA
My personal interactions with him have been a learning experience- each interaction has taught me something new. The topics are varied and his knowledge is as diverse as his countless roles that he has essayed to perfection. Mr. Perfect to the core – there is so much to learn from him just by watching him. His down to earth nature in spite of his cult status is something that is increasingly rare in today’s material world.
And finally come December, a big bonanza awaits all of us - the release of PANJAA - the making of the movie was a once in a life time experience for all of us. The movie has been the result of a tremendous amount of hard work from the entire unit including the star cast, the technicians, the unit members and everyone else associated with it. We have tried to capture the totality and the spirit of “Power Star” to the best of our ability. Harnessing a hurricane is no easy job! We gave it our best shot and we sincerely believe that our effort will warm the hearts of his fans.
We have toiled hard on this dream. It is no exaggeration when we say that it took a lot of “blood, sweat and tears” to transform this dream into a reality. And the one single person who made all this possible is the man himself. He will always hold a special place in my heart.
So come December, please get ready for some pure magic and action packed celluloid fun. It will be a month to remember for a long time to come..
Welcome to our dream…
Go Power Star!!!!
