Actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and his wife Anna Konidala have announced their separation after 13 years of marriage. In a joint statement released on Monday, November 9, the couple said they had decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect.
They also stressed that they would remain friends and devoted parents to their children, requesting privacy during this personal transition.The announcement comes months after Anna began giving the public rare glimpses into their otherwise private family life through Instagram. From sharing unseen photographs with Pawan to opening up about their children, his political journey and her place in the Konidela family, her posts offered a glimpse into a relationship that had largely remained away from the spotlight.
In October, she deactivated her Instagram account, weeks before the separation announcement.How did Pawan Kalyan and Anna Konidala meet?Anna, originally named Anna Lezhneva, is a Russian national and former model and actor. Several media reports have linked her to Pawan Kalyan's 2011 Telugu film Teen Maar, suggesting that their paths crossed during the film's making, in which she played a brief role.
However, the exact circumstances of their first meeting have not been independently established.The two eventually got married on September 30, 2013, in a private ceremony. Their relationship remained largely away from public scrutiny, with Anna making only occasional appearances alongside Pawan at family gatherings and public events.
The couple has two children together — daughter Polena Anjana Pawanova and son Mark Shankar Pawanovich, who was born in 2017. Pawan also has two children, Akira Nandan and Aadhya, from his previous marriage to actor Renu Desai.When Anna stayed away from the limelightDespite being married to one of Telugu cinema's biggest stars, Anna largely maintained a low profile.
She rarely gave interviews or shared details about her personal life, and photographs of the couple together were relatively uncommon. There were occasional glimpses of their relationship at family events.
In 2023, when speculation about trouble in their marriage surfaced amid Pawan's political commitments, the Jana Sena Party shared a photograph of the couple together, dispelling rumours at the time.Anna also pursued her education during this period. She completed a Master of Arts degree at the National University of Singapore, with Pawan travelling to Singapore to attend her convocation.March 2026: Anna makes her Instagram debut, Pawan welcomes herAfter years of staying away from social media, Anna made her public Instagram debut in March 2026.
Her first post was an unseen candid photograph of her and Pawan laughing together."Long overdue. Feels like the right time now.
With the blessings of @chiranjeevikonidela and support from @pawankalyan," she wrote.Pawan also welcomed her to the platform with a warm message. Sharing her Instagram profile, he wrote, "A warm welcome to Instagram, dear @Anna.Konidala.
Wishing you the very best as you step into this space. Looking forward to your presence bringing meaningful engagement and inspiring interactions."Her next post offered a glimpse into her relationship with Pawan's family.
Sharing photographs with his brothers, actors Chiranjeevi and Nagababu, Anna spoke about finding her place in the family."I never had a brother, life gave me two," she wrote, recalling how she initially struggled to figure out how to address her brothers-in-law. She eventually began calling Chiranjeevi 'Annaya' and Nagababu 'Chinna Annaya', borrowing the words from Pawan.She added that what began as something she said cautiously eventually became a bond she genuinely cherished.
The post was among her first personal accounts of becoming part of the closely knit Konidela family.Akira's birthday and Mark's Singapore fire accidentOne of Anna's most emotional Instagram posts came in April 2026. She marked the 22nd birthday of Pawan's elder son, Akira Nandan, while also remembering the first anniversary of a fire accident in Singapore in which her younger son, Mark, was injured.The fire broke out at a summer camp in Singapore on April 8, 2025.
Mark suffered burns and smoke inhalation and was hospitalised before returning to India."Today is an emotional day for our family. It's Akira's birthday.
We are so proud of the man he's becoming. A deep thinker, a curious learner, and so kind," she wrote.She then recalled the frightening experience Mark had endured. "And it's also one year since the fire where Mark nearly lost his life.
Today, we celebrate both our boys. But for Mark, it feels like his 2nd birthday," she added.Anna also spoke about watching Mark struggle to breathe in hospital and expressed gratitude to the construction workers who rescued children before firefighters arrived.
Her post offered a rare and deeply personal glimpse into the family's ordeal.Anna opens up about Pawan's political journeyIn June 2026, Anna shared another personal account of the challenges the family faced during Pawan's political journey, particularly before the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.She spoke about the emotional toll of watching him fight his political battles while she stayed back at home, looking after their children."And while he was out there fighting battles in public, I was at home trying to stay strong for our children, often feeling completely alone. There were days I wanted to break down too.
Days I was scared. Days I wondered how much more one person could endure for what he believed in," she wrote.Her post offered a perspective on the personal sacrifices and uncertainties that accompanied Pawan's political career, which eventually led to his becoming Andhra Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister'Call me Anna Konidala': She explains why she took Pawan's surnameIn July 2026, Anna made a special request to her followers, asking them to address her as Anna Konidala rather than Anna Lezhneva.In a detailed Instagram note, she explained that although most people had come to know her by her maiden name when news of her marriage broke, she had taken Pawan's surname on the day they got married in 2013."The funny thing is, our marriage certificate is actually the last official document where that surname appears.
On that day, I took my husband's surname and became Anna Konidala," she wrote.She added, "Please call me Anna Konidala. That's my name, and it's the one I feel like myself with."The photograph accompanying the post was from their first trip together to Saint Petersburg, Russia, making it another personal glimpse into their relationship.Anna's emotional post during Pawan's shoulder surgeryAnna also stood by Pawan when he underwent shoulder surgery in July 2026 for an old injury.
Sharing an update during his recovery, she spoke about the physical and emotional burdens he had carried over the years."His burden in life has always been far heavier than his physical pain. He rarely complains.
Only when the pain becomes too much, even for him," she wrote.She added that her priority was to look after him during his recovery. "For now, my only job is to take good care of him and make sure he knows he is in safe hands. One day at a time.
We'll get there," he said.A glimpse into her family lifeOver the months, Anna's Instagram account became a space where she shared photographs and videos from her family life, fitness routines and moments with the Konidela family. She also shared a loving birthday post for Pawan in September, celebrating him and acknowledging the affection and support he received from people.Through her posts about Chiranjeevi and Nagababu, her children, and Pawan's personal and political challenges, Anna gradually introduced followers to a side of the family that had rarely been seen in public.On November 9, Pawan and Anna announced that they had decided to part ways.
While they did not disclose the reason for their separation, they said they would continue to remain friends and committed parents to their children."Though our marriage has come to an end, we remain good friends and devoted parents to our wonderful children. Their happiness and well-being will always remain our shared priority," their joint statement read.- Ends