Pawan Kalyan: Scripting a political blockbuster?

Nenu time ni nammanu, na timing ni nammutha! Thus spake “super cop” Pawan Kalyan in his 2012 blockbuster Telugu movie, Gabbar Singh, a remake of Salman Khan’s Dabbang.

This iconic dialogue, which means, “I don't believe in time, I believe in my timing”, may be appropriate to describe the time and timing of the charismatic film star, who forayed into politics in 2008.

Pawan Kalyan made his film debut in 1996 and soon catapulted to becoming a superstar. His on-screen mannerisms and off-screen philanthropy endeared him to people, especially the youth.

He then recreated the screen spectacle in the political arena in 2008, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of his supporters. Each of his political meetings resonated with the resounding chants of 'CM CM'. However, this indelible mark has not translated into the indelible ink on voters' index fingers at polling stations.

Cut to 2023, Pawan Kalyan's fans believe that after 15 years, his time has come to become a real-life hero on the political stage to deliver a blockbuster in Andhra Pradesh.

Last week, Pawan Kalyan announced his party, the Jana Sena's alliance with Nara Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP, adding a twist to the tale of the Andhra Pradesh elections that are almost seven months away.

Where did it all begin?

Pawan Kalyan made his political debut in 2008 as the youth wing president of the Praja Rajyam, a party floated by his superstar brother, Chiranjeevi. Initially seen as an Anna Chatu tammudu (living in the shadow of his brother), he soon became popular among the youth. His fiery speeches drew crowds at rallies. But he quit the Praja Rajyam after Chiranjeevi merged it with the Congress in 2011.

In March 2014, Pawan Kalyan made a dramatic re-entry into the political stage by launching the Jana Sena. His speeches continued to have the spark and the spunk, with his Congress hatao, desh bachao slogan becoming popular among fans. He said India needed decisive and strong leadership, and the bifurcated Andhra Pradesh needed visionary leadership and batted for Narendra Modi at the Centre and N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh. Though he didn’t contest the 2014 polls, he campaigned for the BJP-TDP alliance that triumphed at the hustings. The TDP's clean sweep of all the seats in West Godavari was seen as Pawan Kalyan’s mettle in bringing Naidu back to power. 

But Pawan Kalyan started distancing from the BJP-TDP a few years after the 2014 polls, accusing it of backstabbing the Jana Sena. He opposed land pooling for Naidu’s dream project of Amaravati and alleged that the BJP was doing injustice to Andhra Pradesh by not granting it a special category status. He left the alliance in 2018.

The 2019 debacle

In 2019, he decided to align with the Left parties and BSP. But the Jana Sena was drubbed in the polls, having contested in over 130 of the 175 Assembly seats. Except for Razor, Jana Sena candidates lost in all segments. Many of them lost their security deposits.

Pawan Kalyan himself lost in the two seats he had contested, Bhimavaram in West Godavari, and Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam district. His decision to pick these constituencies was seen as a well-calculated move, because Bhimavaram is an epicentre of the Kapu community, and Gajuwaka in north Andhra Pradesh was supposed to be his huge fan base. But this strategy failed. 

Following his defeat, he had quipped at a rally that people came in large numbers to attend his meetings, but they all voted for Y S Jaganmohan Reddy’s Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP).

The lone Razole MLA, Rapaka Vara Prasad, too, dumped Pawan Kalyan and joined the ruling YSRCP after the polls.

Pawan Kalyan then went back to acting.

In 2020, he refurbished his 2014 idea of a grand alliance with the BJP-TDP to take on the mighty YSRCP.

While the BJP was silent about any truck with the TDP, Pawan Kalyan surprised everyone last week by announcing an alliance with Naidu’s party.

Political pundits in Andhra Pradesh are still assessing whether Pawan Kalyan's meeting with Naidu in Rajamahendravaram central prison, where the TDP leader is lodged and his subsequent announcement of a pact was a wise move or merely one of his flip-flops.

A section of political observers feel that the corruption charges against Naidu may be a fantastic opportunity for the charismatic Pawan Kalyan to emerge as a legitimate alternative to the reigning powerhouse, YSRCP. Another section feels that an affiliation with an established party like the TDP may enable him to gain a few seats in the 2024 elections. 

But till then, his dramatics, whether it's a protest walk, sit-in demonstration, or even rallies atop vehicles, are guaranteeing people's attention. It remains to be seen what punch dialogue he has when YSRCP leaders target him for his personal life, especially his three marriages.