Why This List Matters
Every September 2nd, Telugu cinema fans switch into festival mode. Not for a release date, not for a big box-office Friday, but for Pawan Kalyan’s birthday. Streets get posters, cakes get cut in fan clubs, and old hits suddenly trend on YouTube again. And honestly, it’s the perfect excuse to walk back through the films that made him what he is today — a Power Star, not just a star.
This isn’t a neat critic’s ranking. It’s a fan-fuelled jog through ten films that still make us whistle, cry, or both.
1. Tholi Prema (1998) – When the Boy Next Door Became a National Winner
Before Power Star was a tagline, he was just Pawan, a shy smile, floppy hair, and a love story that didn’t need over-the-top drama. Tholi Prema wasn’t loud, yet it hit hard. It won a National Award and six Nandi Awards. Fans saw a face like the boy next door, and they trusted him. He looked unlike some untouchable star. In 2023, the team reissued the film for its 25th year. Love tales stay fresh when Pawan plays the lover boy, and theatres glow bright like temples.
2. Thammudu (1999) – Kickboxing and Coming of Age
Right after the gentle romance, he flipped the script. Thammudu was about a reckless youngster who finds redemption through sport. The kickboxing scenes were raw, the training montages had sweat dripping through the screen. But what sold it? His transformation. Viewers cheered because they saw a flawed man fighting his way up, not a perfect hero.
3. Kushi (2001) – The Cult of Cool
Ask anyone who was in college in the early 2000s. Kushi grew past a movie; it set a mood. Denim set look, and light talk filled scenes, while that teasing I like you vibe sealed lips. Pawan joined Bhumika, sparked easy heat, and songs ruled campus. Till today, fans swear that no romcom has matched its freshness.
4. Johnny (2003) – A Risk That Still Earns Respect
Critically? It bombed. Commercially? Not great. But fans remember Johnny with respect. Why? Because Pawan not only acted — he wrote, directed, choreographed fights. It was him pouring himself into cinema. Martial arts sequences, brooding intensity, an experimental flavour… he was ahead of his time. Even when it faltered, it proved one thing: he’d never play safe just to cash in.
5. Jalsa (2008) – Energy Reloaded
When Jalsa came out, fans waited years for his return to the spotlight. Trivikram wrote sharp lines, and DSP made big tunes, and Pawan’s playful charm sold it. That opening intro scene at the start? Pure goosebumps. That cheeky grin during sharp punchlines? Classic Pawan. The film told everyone that after a few misses, his charisma stayed untouchable.
6. Gabbar Singh (2012) – The Power Star in Full Flow
Mass cinema, redefined. The remake of Dabangg could have been ordinary, but Pawan turned it into a phenomenon. As Gabbar Singh, he was larger than life, yet somehow still funny, still relatable. The police uniform, the dances with Shruti Haasan, the one-liners — this was him at his commercial best.
Theatres weren’t watching, they were roaring. People didn’t just buy tickets, they bought whistles.
7. Attarintiki Daredi (2013) – A Family Film That Felt Personal
If Gabbar Singh was mass, Attarintiki Daredi was family. Trivikram and Pawan made a blend of laughs, heart, and flair. The film earned the most money of its day. A grandson wanted to join his family together, a simple tale. His timing for jokes and for feelings made the movie a classic. Families went together, laughed together, cried together. It was cinema as community.
8. Vakeel Saab (2021) – The Courtroom Warrior
After a gap, fans wondered: can he still command the screen? Vakeel Saab answered with a resounding yes. A remake of Pink, it had him in black robes, taking a stand on consent and women’s rights. For many, it wasn’t just a film. It was Pawan the actor and Pawan the politician blurring lines — using stardom to push a message that mattered.
The pandemic made box-office numbers tricky, yet it still grossed massively, proving he was still magnetic.
9. Bheemla Nayak (2022) – Clash of Titans
No frills here. Just raw masculinity, ego clashes, and Pawan as a no-nonsense cop. Pitted against Rana Daggubati, the confrontations were electric. Every glare, every punch, every “nuvvu ekkada, nenu ekkada” moment had fans leaping from seats. It wasn’t just a film; it was a showdown. And he owned it.
10. Hari Hara Veera Mallu (2025) – The Epic Era
His most recent venture went big — period action, Koh-i-Noor diamond, lavish sets. The reviews? Mixed. The opening day? His best ever at ₹44+ crore. At 50-plus, that kind of pull isn’t common. Whether people nit-picked or praised, one fact stood: when Pawan releases a film, it still feels like an event.
More Than Just Films
What ties these ten together? Versatility. One moment he’s a shy boy in Tholi Prema, the next he’s mass police in Gabbar Singh, and then a serious lawyer in Vakeel Saab. Few actors manage that kind of spread without losing their fanbase.
And it’s not just the films. It’s how people watch them. Remember the fireworks outside single-screen theatres? The milk poured over his cut-outs? The endless “Power Star” chants? His movies didn’t just entertain — they built culture.
Closing Note – Celebrating the Power Star
Tomorrow, fans will trend hashtags, screen his old films, maybe even do charity in his name. That’s how his birthdays work. But more than all that, the real celebration is in the memories these ten films gave us.
From the innocence of Tholi Prema to the courtroom fire of Vakeel Saab, every phase of Pawan Kalyan’s career has a film that stands as a bookmark. And if history is proof, there are still more bookmarks to come.
Happy Birthday, Power Star.
Bio of Author: Gayatri Tiwari is an experienced digital strategist and entertainment writer, bringing 20+ years of content expertise to one of India’s largest OTT platforms. She blends industry insight with a passion for cinema to deliver engaging, trustworthy perspectives on movies, TV shows and web series.
