Pawan Kalyan - The Faded Power?

Powerstar Pawan Kalyan got a dream start to his career - a beginning that any debutant would crave for. That he's Megastar Chiranjeevi's brother gave him an instant entry into films, but his debut wasn't a success despite being a remake. However, he followed up with back to back successful flicks, Gokulamlo Seetha, Suswagatham, Tholi Prema (a cult classic that is still celebrated), Thammudu, Badri and Khushi. It was his decision to venture into direction after the hit streak, that was a precursor to all the failures he had faced in his cinema career.

Though his directorial debut Johnny was lauded for its stunt choreography, again by Pawan, the movie was a failure, beginning a flop streak and a dull phase in his career, which took 7 years to end, with the release of Jalsa (2008). However, post-Jalsa, Pawan was never able to score back to back hits, as every hit of him was followed by a colossal disaster, as it was evident with Komaram Puli after Jalsa, Cameraman Gangatho Rambabu after Gabbar Singh,  Sardar Gabbar Singh after Attarintiki Daaredhi. This phase was also where he had gained huge fan following despite less number of films and more flops, with the sympathy wave during the unexpected leak of Attarintiki Daaredhi also helping him extend his fandom and scoring an industry blockbuster.

However, his interferences in the making, casting and the Vision of his movie makers meant, the quality of his films post-Gabbar Singh were heavily impacted, leading to failures of epic proportions. His choice of Movies and denial to come out of his comfort zone of very predictable template flicks meant that his stardom and fan following was wasted in dishing out mediocre flicks that failed to satisfy his diehard fans. Ever since he announced his political entry, every single fan of the actor wanted him to bid adieu with a blockbuster movie, but all that Pawan gifted them was Katamarayudu (a remake of Veeram which was already dubbed in Telugu as Veerudokkade and didn't work), and Agnyaathavaasi - a forgettable and pathetic choice for a silver jubilee flick, which was a poorly made rip-off of Largo Winch.  Keeping fans waiting for that one last blockbuster, the actor robbed the smiles off their faces, killing their hopes by announcing his retirement from films. 

From a glorious start, being branded as the next big thing after Chiru in Tollywood, to ending as a disappointment, thanks to his script choices as well as his inability to let the creators work with the creative freedom they deserve, Pawan Kalyan in films was nothing more than a good movie that had plenty of goosebumps moments and a massy first half, only to end with a dragging second half with predictable scenes and a forgettable climax. 

When Pawan started Janasena in 2014, it was expected by his fans that he'd be the change the state politics needed, as he was driven by ideologies that focused on transforming the society, but his campaigning for BJP-TDP initially, and his meeting with PM Narendra Modi, wasn't seen positively by the common man. With the current scenario presenting a totally anti-BJP environment following the center refusing to keep up the promises made, Pawan had been forced to change his political plans as well. 

The issue with Pawan irrespective of him contesting alone or forming an alliance, happens to be his inability to seize an opportunity and create an impact, which is being done to perfection by his contemporaries like YS Jagan.  With the existing displeasure among people over the failure to grant special status to Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan the politician failed to step up and raise his voice in an aggressive manner. Besides, having decided to contest in elections, groundwork is missing totally in Janasena.

While YS Jagan in his Praja Sankalp Yatra has traveled over 3000 kms, covering close to 140 constituencies of the 175 available, Pawan has visited only Godavari, Srikakulam, Vishakhapatnam and Vijayawada over a period of two years, which is quite alarming considering the fact that in the said period he has starred only in two movies. Lack of area visits and failure to concentrate on key areas like Rayalaseema has created a negative image even before elections, and despite his constant focus on the Godavari, his success in the constituency is still doubtful. Another major problem Janasena faces is the lack of a proper second level leadership after Pawan Kalyan and Nadendla Manohar as no other member of the party has created an impact. 

With less than a few weeks for the elections and Pawan failing to make the right moves or taking a stand on an alliance, Politics is proving to be another disaster zone for the once most celebrated actor, and one who was expected to be a people's leader. Despite having a huge fan following irrespective of his flop count towering above his hit count and his mass image, Power star Pawan Kalyan has become a power-faded star now, due to his problem with making the right decisions, both in films and politics and it is expected that the upcoming elections might teach him a much-needed lesson, and bring him back to films, to entertain his fans.