The wedding that haunts ‘Power’ Kalyan

Hyderabad: Love blossomed at Satyanand acting institute in Vizag in 1997 for Power (rebel) star Pawan Kalyan and Kondidala Nandini (28), who was studying in Andhra University, and the duo got married in Shirdi on May 17, 1997. But soon thereafter differences between the two came to the fore. As the present round of the bigamy drama began to unfold on Tuesday evening, news spread all over Vizag and curious onlookers began milling around Nandini’ house in Doctors Colony in Peda Waltair, which was found locked, raising many an eyebrow. However, Nandini’s lawyer Devara Satyanarayana told TOI here that the family had gone to Kakinada on some personal work and would be back in Vizag on Thursday afternoon.

The 1st additional chief metropolitan magistrate on Wednesday told police to file a detailed report on the entire episode by July 26 and posted the maintenance case, filed by Nandini, to July 31 for further hearing. Nandini is seeking a maintenance of Rs 5 lakh a month.

Incidentally, the marriage was attended by family members of both sides but megastar Chiranjeevi had given the wedding a miss, sources said. Sources in Vizag say Nandini who liked the shy and reserved Pawan began to dislike his mood swings and moved back to her parents’ place within one-and-a-half years of their marriage. She is now in the hot pursuit of Civil Services, her lawyer says.

Queried further, he said Nandini’s family has not received any intimation neither from the megastar’s family nor from Pawan. The last straw was in March 2007 when Nandini sent a legal notice to Pawan and when his family tried to sweep the issue under the carpet, she took the matter to court. Nandini’s father Chakradhara Rao, running real estate and construction business, had sought immediate settlement from Chiranjeevi’s family when the marriage soured but that did not materialise.

In fact, Pawan sought a divorce by mutual consent way back in April 1999 and he sent a notice to her. However, Nandini refused a divorce then and used to meet the actor in Hyderabad occasionally. This went on till October 2005 even when Pawan was involved in a relationship with his current companion Renu Desai. The actor stopped talking to Nandini in November 2005.

Meanwhile, eyebrows are being raised in Tollywood circles about the timing of Nandini’s case. During the celebrations of 75 years of Telugu cinema, Pawan Kalyan made public appearences with Renu Desai and the couple seemed very comfortable facing the limelight. But there was no noise from Nandini then.