VIJAYAWADA: The personal lives of film stars often attract as much attention as their careers, and the relationship between Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan and Anna Konidela was no exception. From their first association during the making of the Telugu film Teen Maar to their marriage in 2013, the couple shared more than a decade of life together before announcing their decision to part ways.
A film set connection
Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva, a Russian model and actor, reportedly met during the shooting of Teen Maar in 2011. Anna was associated with the film and also made a brief on-screen appearance. However, she was not one of its lead heroines, with Trisha and Kriti Kharbanda playing the principal female roles.While the couple largely kept details of their courtship away from the public eye, their connection culminated in marriage two years after they first met.
A wedding in 2013
Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva got married in September 2013. Following their marriage, Anna became known publicly as Anna Konidela. The couple subsequently welcomed two children, a daughter, Polena Anjana Pavanova, and a son, Mark Shankar Pavanovich.Despite Pawan Kalyan’s considerable popularity as an actor and his growing involvement in politics, Anna largely maintained a low public profile. She was occasionally seen accompanying him at public events and family occasions, but generally stayed away from the limelight.
Beyond films and family
Apart from her association with the film industry, Anna has also drawn attention for her interest in spiritual and charitable activities. In April 2025, following a fire accident involving her son Mark Shankar in Singapore, she visited Tirumala to offer prayers at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple. The visit was an expression of gratitude after her son survived the incident.
Anna Konidela tonsured her head at Tirumala in April 2025 as an expression of gratitude after son Mark Shankar survived a fire accident in Singapore.
Her interest in animal welfare also came into focus in August 2026, when she adopted an Asiatic elephant and a Royal Bengal tiger at Indira Gandhi Zoological Park in Visakhapatnam under its Animal Adoption Programme. She contributed Rs 4.3 lakh towards the elephant’s upkeep and Rs 2 lakh towards the tiger’s care for one year.
Parting ways after 13 years
After more than 13 years of marriage, Pawan Kalyan and Anna announced their separation in a joint statement issued through the Jana Sena Party’s official media group.They said they had decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect, while remaining friends and committed parents to their children.Their statement also emphasised that their children’s happiness and well-being would remain their shared priority. From their meeting on a film set in 2011 to building a family together and eventually choosing separate paths, their relationship has remained an important chapter in Pawan Kalyan’s personal life.