Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan has praised the film Dhurandhar, saying he admired its “boldness”, while also reflecting on his personal memories of Kashmir that made Baramulla particularly impactful for him.
Kalyan shared that he does not enjoy comparisons between Hindi and South Indian cinema and prefers to appreciate good storytelling across languages. Discussing recent films, Pawan told ANI, “I like Dhurandhar. I like the boldness in Dhurandhar. I didn’t see the second part because I couldn’t afford to go to theatre. But I liked what they did.”
Dhurandhar released in theatres on December 5, 2025, while its sequel, Dhurandhar 2, hit cinemas on March 19 this year. The blockbuster two-part saga, directed by Aditya Dhar, features an ensemble cast including Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, R Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Rakesh Bedi, Gaurav Gera, and Danish Pandor. Both films collectively grossed over Rs 3,000 crore worldwide, making the spy thriller franchise the first Indian film series to cross this landmark milestone.
Heapig praises on Aditya Dhar production Baramulla, Pawan Kalyan further shared, “I liked one film called, Baramulla.” The 2025 supernatural horror thriller film was directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and produced under Jio Studios and Aditya Dhar’s B62 Studios. It starred Manav Kaul and Bhasha Sumbli in the lead roles. They Call Him OG star added that the film’s narrative took him back to his visits to Srinagar during the late 1980s when he frequently travelled there for film shoots.
“What was conveyed in that film was entirely different. I felt what a great narrative approach,” he said. Recalling the period between 1987 and 1989, Kalyan said he witnessed early signs of unrest in the Kashmir Valley. “I had seen those little tremors. I felt the Kashmiri Pandit suffering and all that. I had seen it at a very, you know, initiative stage that little tremors were there. I don’t like when someone tells me, ‘get out.’ I think that’s one painful thing. That’s why I liked Baramulla,” the Telugu star added.
Today, Pawan Kalyan is one of the most recognisable names in Telugu cinema and politics. Popularly known as the Power Star among fans, he has enjoyed a successful career as an actor and martial artist before emerging as a major political figure in Andhra Pradesh. Since June 2024, he has been serving as the Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and also overseeing the Panchayat Raj, Rural Development, and Environment portfolios. He is the founder and president of the Jana Sena Party and represents the Pithapuram constituency in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly.