It was a scene straight out of a Pawan Kalyan movie. Last week, Kalyan, chief of the Jana Sena Party (JSP) and one of the biggest stars of Telugu cinema, sat on the roof of his speeding SUV, his legs casually stretched out and with the wind in his hair, as security personnel hung out from either side of the vehicle and fans trailed on bikes and cars. Above them, a drone captured the stunt and the spectacle. Kalyan was on his way to Ippatam, a village in Andhra Pradesh's Guntur district to meet families whose houses had been partially demolished as part of a road-widening project. It may appear off track to say like this but that swag 🔥 and attitude off the screen 👌👌 మన దగ్గర తప్పు లేనప్పుడు వచ్చే ధైర్యం @PawanKalyan .#JSPStandsWithIpptam pic.twitter.com/JeQ0waTYNe — Dr.Shiva Prasad Reddy (@Dr_bspreddy) November 5, 2022 Even for a state that has had more than its share of flamboyant actor-politicians, Kalyan's politics is being talked about for its sudden burst of theatrics. The youngest brother of actor-politician Chiranjeevi (who is still officially with the Congress), Kalyan's JSP has, in recent months, sharpened its attacks on the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) - from hitting out at the CM's three-capital plan to taking on the government on alleged corruption. Kalyan's belligerent attacks have prompted members of the ruling party to mockingly call the actor, who is popularly called 'Power Star', “package star” – an insinuation that he has joined hands with the BJP and Telugu Desam Party. Kalyan's supporters say he has chosen to respond – in Power Star style – to the government's alleged attempt to scuttle his protests and meetings. On October 16, the JSP chief was confined to his hotel room for two days after the Visakhapatnam Police refused to grant permission for a rally that he was scheduled to address in the city. Police had done so citing prohibitory orders that were in place following an alleged attack by JSP supporters on vehicles of YSRCP ministers. Peeved at the clampdown, Kalyan had tweeted asking if the police would allow him a walk on the Ramakrishna Beach and some fresh air. He posted the message along with a selfie by the hotel window, the Bay of Bengal in the background. The "fresh air" jibe came true days later, on the evening of November 12, when Kalyan appeared on the scenic Kapuluppada-Rushikonda beach, metres away from the Ramakrishna Beach, in Visakhapatnam. The sight of the actor-politician - dressed in pristine white kurta-pyjama and cool shades, taking a carefully casual stroll on the beach in ankle-deep water - was one made for the cameras. The images sent his fans into raptures who enthusiastically shared them on social media. JSP leaders said the November 12 evening stroll on the beach was a message to the government that Kalyan cannot be stopped from doing what he wishes to. They claimed that the walk on the beach had allowed Kalyan a vantage view of the Rushikonda hillock, where the Opposition has alleged illegal construction activities by the government. Opposition leaders, including TDP chief Chandrababu Nadu, have in the past been stopped from visiting the hillock, where the state-run Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is re-building a resort. On October 18, Kalyan had taken off his sandals and warned YSRCP leaders that they would get a thrashing if they made disparaging comments against him. “If you call me package star again, I will beat you with this,’’ he said at a public meeting in Mangalagiri, waving his black sandals. On his recent roof-top act, a JSP leader said, “It was an act of defiance since the state government has been trying to restrict his movements. That day, too, there was no need to stop him when he was visiting Ippatam village.” On November 5, when Kalyan set off from his party office at Mangalagiri, police stopped the convoy from proceeding towards Ippatam. Kalyan, dressed in jeans and a hooded sweatshirt, got off and started walking. This led to the police giving in and allowing the convoy to proceed. Instead of getting into his car, Kalyan clambered onto the roof and sped towards Ippatam. The November 5 incident invited a case of negligent driving against Kalyan and his driver, among others. On November 12, police filed an FIR based on a complaint by P Shiva Kumar, who was riding his motorcycle that day and alleged that as Kalyan’s convoy “dangerously” sped past him, he lost control and fell. YSRCP leader and senior minister Botsa Satyanaryana said Kalyan's "antics" were an effort to stay in the limelight. "He is doing all this to get some attention. He has made it a habit to say something about every decision the state government makes,'' he said. Kalyan launched the JSP on March 14, 2014. However, he did not contest the elections that year and supported the TDP-BJP alliance by campaigning alongside TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the 2019 elections, JSP contested, but won only one seat – Palacole – in West Godavari district while Kalyan himself lost Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram, the two constituencies he contested from. Kalyan has also managed to keep his cinema career going - his latest is a Mughal period drama that is set to release early next year.
