Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan and his wife, Anna Konidela, have announced their decision to part ways after 13 years of marriage. In a joint statement, the couple said they had arrived at the decision through “mutual understanding and respect” and would continue to remain friends and devoted parents to their children.
The statement, shared on Kalyan's Instagram page late on Monday night and also circulated through the Jana Sena Party's official media channels, said their children's happiness and well-being would remain their priority.
“Though our marriage has come to an end, we remain good friends and devoted parents to our wonderful children. Their happiness and well-being will always remain our shared priority,” the statement read.
The couple also appealed to their well-wishers to respect their privacy during the personal transition.
“During this personal transition, we seek your understanding, kindness, and respect for our privacy. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has stood by us throughout this journey,” they said.
The statement did not disclose the reasons behind their decision. The announcement marks the end of Kalyan's third marriage.
Pawan Kalyan's three marriages
Kalyan married his first wife, Nandini, in 1997. The couple separated in 1999, with their divorce finalised in 2008.
He subsequently married actor Renu Desai in 2009. They have two children, a son and a daughter, but their marriage ended in divorce in 2012.
In 2013, Kalyan married Anna, a Russian national whose maiden name is Anna Lezhneva. The couple have two children together, Polena Anjana Pawanova and Mark Shankar Pawanovich.
Anna also appeared alongside Kalyan in the Telugu film *Teen Maar*, released in 2011. The couple largely kept their personal life away from the public eye.
From Telugu cinema to Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister
Born into a family associated with Telugu cinema, Kalyan is the younger brother of actors Chiranjeevi and Nagendra Babu. He made his acting debut in 1996 with Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi and went on to establish himself as a prominent actor in the Telugu film industry.
His political journey began in 2008, when he became president of Yuvarajyam, the youth wing of the Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), founded by Chiranjeevi. Although he actively campaigned for the party, Kalyan did not contest elections or hold a constitutional position during that period.
After the PRP merged with the Congress in 2011, Kalyan expressed his dissatisfaction with the development and took a break from active politics.
Jana Sena's electoral journey
Kalyan founded the Jana Sena Party (JSP) in March 2014 and campaigned actively during that year's elections.
In the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections, Jana Sena contested 140 constituencies. Kalyan himself entered the electoral contest from Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram but lost both seats to candidates from the YSR Congress Party. The party managed to win only one seat, in Razole.
His political fortunes changed in the 2024 general and Assembly elections, when he played a key role in bringing together Jana Sena, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in an alliance.
Jana Sena limited the number of constituencies it contested as part of the seat-sharing arrangement. The alliance went on to secure a sweeping victory, with Jana Sena winning every seat it contested.
Kalyan was sworn in as Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister on June 14, 2024, marking a significant milestone in his political career.