Telugu actor, Pawan Kalyan was once in a controversial relationship with former actress, Renu Desai, before getting divorced from first wife. The couple also had a child before marriage.
Popular Telugu actor and leader of the Jana Sena Party, Pawan Kalyan has been making headlines for his latest film, Hari Hara Veeru Mallu. He rose to fame in the late 1990s, and over the years gave hit films like Tholi Prema, Gabbar Singh, and Attarintiki Daredi. Beyond acting, he is also a public figure in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as the leader of the Jana Sena Party.
Apart from professional success, his personal life has also been pretty controversial, especially during the 2000s. His relationship with actress, Renu Desai started with a lot of controversies because legally Pawan was still married to his first wife, Nandini. The couple stayed together and even had a child before legalising their marriage.
Pawan Kalyan and Renu Desai first met on the sets of their film, Badri in 2000, when Renu was just 19 years old. Initially, their bond grew professionally, when Pawan encouraged her to work in films like Johnny, Gudumba Shankar and Balu. Gradually their professional bond turned into something personal and the couple started living together, even though Pawan was still married.
In 2004, the duo had a son, Akira Nandan, years before their marriage. The couple got married in 2009, and the next year they welcomed their second child- daughter, Aadhya. However, within a short time, they started facing issues in their marriage. In 2011, the couple filed for a divorce, which got finalised in 2012.
Renu Desai is a former actress, model and costume designer, who rose to fame in Telugu cinema. She was born in Pune and made her acting debut with the film, Badri, alongside Pawan Kalyan. Over the years, she also worked behind-the-scenes as a production designer and costume stylist on several of Pawan's films. In 2014, she made her directorial debut with the Marathi film, Ishq Wala Love.
Years after her divorce with Pawan Kalyan, in April 2025, Renu gave a candid interview, in which she shared that she wishes to have a partner but as of now, her priority is her children. She added that she was engaged in 2018, but did not continue it as she realised that she couldn't balance another relationship with motherly duties. In her words:
"Of course, I feel like having a partner too. But it's my sense of responsibility towards my kids that stops me from doing it. If I look at it individually, yes, I should have a boyfriend, I should have a marriage, I should have a life. But when I look at it from the kids' point of view. I tried again, I got engaged; it was like an arranged thing. But I realised I will not be able to do justice either to the relationship or to the kids."
After his controversial relationship with Renu Desai ended, Pawan Kalyan got into a relationship with a former actress, Anna Lezhneva, whom he met on the sets of Tees Maar. In 2013, Pawan Kalyan got married to Anna in an intimate wedding. The couple has 2 children- a son and a daughter. Unlike Pawan's last two marriages, this marriage has remained controversy-free. Anna is occasionally seen along with him at political events as well.
On the professional front, Pawan Kalyan was last seen in the film, Hari Hara Veera Mallu. This was Pawan's comeback film after his gap due to political commitments. The film is directed by Krish Jagarlamudi and Jyothi Krishna. It is set in the Mughal era and tells the story of Veera Mallu.
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