Pawan Kalyan Says Surekha Konidala 'Betrayed Him', Later Clarifies What He Meant

Pawan Kalyan, popularly known as Power Star, commands a massive fan following in the Tamil film industry. While he is admired for his powerhouse performances, he has also faced criticism for repeatedly acting in remakes. However, during the pre-release event of his upcoming film Bro, held on July 25, Tuesday, Kalyan surprised viewers by expressing gratitude to his sister-in-law, Surekha Konidala, for his success as an actor.

Kalyan’s words caused a stir among the audience initially, as he mentioned feeling “betrayed” by Surekha. But, he quickly clarified his statement, revealing that Surekha was instrumental in encouraging him to pursue his passion for acting. Despite his initial desire to lead an ordinary life as a farmer, Surekha’s support and inspiration motivated him to become an actor. She also played a pivotal role in encouraging Kalyan to venture into filmmaking. Kalyan directed the film Johnny, which revolves around a martial arts coach striving to save his wife suffering from blood cancer.

Pawan Kalyan’s latest film, Bro, directed by Samuthirakani, is set to release on July 28. The plot revolves around an arrogant man who is granted a second chance to correct his mistakes after death. Apart from direction, Samuthirakani also stars in the film alongside Kalyan. The movie features an ensemble cast, including Rohini, Vennela Kishore, Brahmanandam, and Sai Dharam Tej, among others. People Media Factory and Zee Studios have produced this much-anticipated project.

Bro has also faced its share of controversy, with Kalyan’s followers causing untoward incidents at the Jagadamba Theatre in Visakhapatnam during the film’s trailer launch. Overexcited fans broke glass panes, leading to a backlash. This was not the first instance of such behaviour, as Kalyan’s supporters had similarly caused havoc during the re-release of the 1998 film Tholi Prema on June 30. One of the theatres in Vijayawada was vandalized during the screening of the film, reflecting the fervent but sometimes unruly passion of the actor’s fanbase.