- Pawan Kalyan praised the film Dhurandhar for its boldness
- He expressed fondness for the horror film Baramulla and its impactful narrative
- Baramulla reminded Pawan Kalyan of his visits to Srinagar in the late 1980s
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor 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.
Speaking to ANI, Kalyan said he does not enjoy comparisons between Hindi and South Indian cinema and prefers to appreciate good storytelling across languages.
Discussing recent films, he said, "I like Dhurandhar. I like the boldness in Dhurandhar. I didn't see the second part because I couldn't afford to go to the theatre. But I liked what they did."
Dhurandhar, a spy action thriller, was directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Aditya Dhar and starred Ranveer Singh, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal, Akshaye Khanna, and Sanjay Dutt in lead roles.
"I liked one film called Baramulla," he added.
Baramulla is a 2025 supernatural horror thriller directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale and produced by Jio Studios and B62 Studios. It stars Manav Kaul and Bhasha Sumbli in the lead roles.
The actor-politician also revealed that he is fond of horror films because they help him relax.
"I like horror films because they engage me. They don't let me think. They arrest my mind. Otherwise, my mind goes haywire. When I don't get sleep, I watch a horror film and suddenly my mind calms down," he said.
Kalyan later spoke about Baramulla, saying 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 he conveyed in that film was entirely different. I felt it was a great narrative approach," he said.
Recalling the period between 1987 and 1989, Kalyan said he witnessed the early signs of unrest in the Valley.
"I had seen those little tremors. I felt the Kashmiri Pandits' suffering and all that. I had seen it at a very initial stage, when those little tremors were there. I don't like it when someone tells me, 'Get out.' I think that's one painful thing. That's why I liked Baramulla," Kalyan said.
Today, Pawan Kalyan is one of the most recognisable names in Telugu cinema and politics. Popularly known as the "Power Star" among fans, he enjoyed a successful career as an actor and martial artist before emerging as a major political figure in Andhra Pradesh.
Kalyan currently serves as the 11th Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and remains one of the most influential personalities in South India.
