29 July 2025 : Actor and Deputy CM of Andhra Pradesh, Pawan Kalyan, is busy promoting his recent release, Hari Hara Veera Mallu. The actor, who is known for famously not taking part in film promotions, chose a different strategy for his first film as a politician. In a rapid-fire with Hauterrfly, Pawan picked Kangana Ranaut as his ideal co-star over Priyanka Chopra or Kareena Kapoor. The Mandi MP reacted to Pawan calling her a ‘stronger’ actor.
Pawan Kalyan wants to act with Kangana Ranaut
During the rapid-fire round, Pawan was asked if he would rather act with Alia Bhatt or Deepika Padukone. Calling it a ‘difficult choice’, he picked both. When asked between Alia, Deepika and Kriti Sanon, Pawan smiled and picked all three. But between Alia, Deepika, Kriti and Kiara Advani, Pawan seemed to make up his mind while picking Kriti.
Pawan was then asked if he would rather work with Kriti or Kangana Ranaut, and he answered Kangana. He also picked Kangana when asked to choose between her and Priyanka Chopra. When it came to Kareena Kapoor and Kangana, Pawan felt it depended on the film. However, he added, “I still feel…looking at how she portrayed Indira Gandhi (in Emergency), I think I should go with the stronger person, Kangana Ranaut.”
Reacting to the rapid-fire, Kangana reshared it on her Instagram stories with folded hands and loving emojis. The only female actor who managed to beat Kangana as Pawan’s favourite potential co-star was his brother Chiranjeevi’s Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari co-star, the late Sridevi. When asked to choose between Kangana and Sridevi, Pawan replied with a smile, “This one, Sridevi, of course.”
Recent work
Kangana, who debuted with the 2006 film Gangster and acted in only one Telugu film in her career, the 2009 Prabhas-starrer Ek Niranjan, was last seen in Emergency, which she also directed and produced. Pawan, who was last seen in the 2023 film Bro, was seen in Hari Hara Veera Mallu, which was released in theatres last week in all south Indian languages. The film has yet to be released in Hindi. He will soon star in They Call Him OG and Ustaad Bhagat Singh.
Summary:
Pawan Kalyan praised Kangana Ranaut as a stronger actor than Kareena and Priyanka. Kangana reshared the video with gratitude, calling his words very kind.