Actor and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and his wife Anna Konidela, formerly known as Anna Lezhneva, have announced their separation after 13 years of marriage. The couple shared the news in a joint statement issued late on Monday night, November 9, 2026, and the news was reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. In the statement, they said they had decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect. They also said they remain good friends and devoted parents, and that the happiness and well-being of their children will always remain their shared priority.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who announced the separation | Pawan Kalyan and Anna Konidela |
| Date of the announcement | Late on Monday night, November 9, 2026, reported on November 10, 2026 |
| Length of the marriage | 13 years |
| Date of marriage | September 30, 2013 |
| Place of marriage | Hyderabad, in a private ceremony |
| Registration | Registered under the Special Marriage Act |
| Children together | Daughter Polena Anjana Pawanova and son Mark Shankar Pawanovich |
| Anna Konidela background | Russian national, former model and actress |
| How they met | On the sets of the Telugu film Teen Maar in 2011 |
| Reason given | No specific reason was given |
| Divorce proceedings | The statement does not say whether divorce proceedings have started |
| Pawan Kalyan public role | Leader of the Jana Sena Party and Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh |
What the Joint Statement Said
The joint statement was addressed to well-wishers and near and dear ones. It was short, calm and direct, and it set the tone the couple wanted. They spoke of a shared life, a decision made together, and a clear wish for privacy as they move through a personal change.
The statement said: “After sharing a significant part of our lives together, we have decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect. 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. During this personal transition, we seek your understanding, kindness, and respect for our privacy.”
It was signed “Pawan Kalyan Konidala and Anna Konidala.” Neither person spoke alone, and neither person gave a separate version of events. The message came from both of them, in the same words, at the same time. That shared approach fits the language of the statement, which puts respect and understanding at the centre and asks for kindness from the public.
The statement was issued late on Monday night, November 9, 2026, and the news was reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Anna Konidela deleted her Instagram account shortly after the announcement. No message was posted to explain that step, and no separate comment was issued by her. The only public words from the couple remain the joint statement they issued together.
A Marriage That Began in 2013
Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva married on September 30, 2013, in a private ceremony in Hyderabad. The marriage was registered under the Special Marriage Act. At the time, the ceremony was kept away from the public eye, which was in keeping with the private nature of much of their life together.
The couple had met two years earlier, in 2011, on the sets of the Telugu film Teen Maar. Anna Lezhneva, a Russian national who had worked as a model and actress, was part of the film world in which Pawan Kalyan had already built a long career. Their meeting on a film set later grew into a relationship and then into marriage.
Over the next 13 years, their life together unfolded in public in only a limited way. Pawan Kalyan remained a major figure in Telugu cinema and then in Andhra Pradesh politics, while Anna Konidela stayed largely out of the spotlight. The couple have two children together, daughter Polena Anjana Pawanova and son Mark Shankar Pawanovich. In the joint statement, the couple described themselves as devoted parents, and they placed the happiness and well-being of their children at the centre of their message.
In July 2026, Anna Lezhneva asked fans to address her as Anna Konidela, her married surname. The 13 years of the marriage covered a period of major change in Pawan Kalyan’s public life, as he moved from a full-time film career into active politics, built the Jana Sena Party, and later took office as Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Who Is Anna Konidela
Anna Konidela, formerly Anna Lezhneva, is a Russian national. Before her marriage, she worked as a model and actress. She met Pawan Kalyan in 2011 while working on the Telugu film Teen Maar, and the two married in September 2013.
Much of her public identity in India has been linked to her marriage, but she has also been known in her own right as a former model and actress. She has kept a low public profile for most of the marriage, and she has not often spoken to the media about her personal life. That quiet approach makes the joint statement even more notable, because it is a rare moment in which she has spoken publicly, together with her husband, about a deeply personal matter.
Her decision to delete her Instagram account shortly after the announcement was widely noticed, and it is worth recording as part of the timeline of events. Beyond that fact, there is no public comment from her about the step, and no further message has been issued. Readers should be careful not to turn that single action into a larger story. The joint statement remains the only account the couple have given, and it asks for understanding, kindness and respect for privacy.
Pawan Kalyan’s Public Life and Third Marriage
This was Pawan Kalyan’s third marriage. He was previously married to Nandini, with that marriage ending in divorce, and later to actor Renu Desai. That history is part of the public record, and it is worth stating plainly and without judgement. Marriages end for many reasons, and the couple have chosen not to give a reason in this case.
Pawan Kalyan leads the Jana Sena Party and serves as Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh as part of the NDA alliance government. His move from cinema to politics has made him one of the most closely watched public figures in the state. His film career gave him a large and loyal fan base, and his political career has placed him at the centre of government in Andhra Pradesh. That dual public life means that news about his personal life is followed closely, both by fans of his films and by people who follow state politics.
The news comes at a time when Telugu cinema is also in the headlines. Readers can read our report on Ramayana box office day 5 worldwide. The film has also drawn praise from senior actors, as covered in our story on Sunny Deol praising Ramayana as better than Hollywood. Our report on Dean Norris and Bridget split covers another recent case in which a well-known actor and his partner ended a long marriage.
For Pawan Kalyan, the separation is a personal matter, separate from his work as an actor and as a political leader. The joint statement does not link the decision to his public roles, and it does not suggest any change to his work. The statement is focused on the marriage, on the children, and on the request for privacy.
What Happens Next and What Is Not Known
The couple gave no specific reason for the separation. That is an important fact, and it should be respected. The statement does not say whether divorce proceedings have started, and it gives no details about arrangements for their children. Those questions remain unanswered in public, and they may remain private. There is no need to fill those gaps with guesswork.
What is known is limited to the facts in the statement and the public record around it. The couple have decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect. They remain good friends and devoted parents. Their children remain their shared priority. They have asked for understanding, kindness and respect for privacy during a personal transition. Those are the words they chose, and they are the best guide to how they want the news to be received.
In the days after the announcement, attention will likely focus on whether either person speaks further. For now, neither has issued a separate statement, and there is no public detail about next steps. Readers should be careful about what they share online. A separation involving a well-known actor and a senior political leader will attract comment, and some of that comment will be based on rumour rather than fact. The couple have asked for privacy, and the respectful response is to stick to what they have said and to give them space.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva announce their separation?
Yes. They announced their separation in a joint statement issued late on Monday night, November 9, 2026, and the news was reported on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The statement said they had decided to part ways with mutual understanding and respect after 13 years of marriage.
When did Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva get married?
They married on September 30, 2013, in a private ceremony in Hyderabad. The marriage was registered under the Special Marriage Act. They had met in 2011 on the sets of the Telugu film Teen Maar.
Did the couple give a reason for the separation?
No. The couple gave no specific reason for the separation in their joint statement. The statement also does not say whether divorce proceedings have started, and it gives no details about arrangements for their children.
Who are Pawan Kalyan and Anna Konidela’s children?
The couple have two children together, daughter Polena Anjana Pawanova and son Mark Shankar Pawanovich. In their joint statement, the couple said they remain devoted parents and that the happiness and well-being of their children will always remain their shared priority.
Sources
Final Thoughts
The separation of Pawan Kalyan and Anna Konidela after 13 years of marriage is a quiet and respectful announcement about a private matter. The couple chose to speak together, in clear words, and to ask for privacy at the same time. Their message puts their children first, and it asks the public for understanding and kindness. The facts are simple: a marriage that began in Hyderabad in September 2013 has come to an end, the couple remain friends and devoted parents, and they want space to move through this change in private.
