Pawan Kalyan says he was ‘jealous’ of Vijay becoming CM: ‘He did it with cutouts…’

Telugu actor-politician and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan recently made headlines after speaking candidly about Tamil superstar Vijay’s political rise in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing a public gathering, Kalyan admitted he felt “a little jealous” seeing how Vijay’s party managed to achieve rapid political success.

Pawan Kalyan reacts to Vijay’s political success

Speaking at the event, Pawan Kalyan remarked that Tamil Nadu’s political landscape appeared very different, adding that Vijay’s campaign style — featuring large cutouts, holograms and mass fan appeal — seemed to work effectively with voters.

In a humorous tone, the Jana Sena Party chief contrasted Vijay’s rise with his own long political journey in Andhra Pradesh.

“I look at Tamil politics these days, they’ve done it so carefree. I felt a little jealous. He became Chief Minister using cutouts and holograms happily. I roamed on the streets for 15 years but…,” Kalyan said before clarifying that he was joking.

He further stressed that running a political party requires understanding public expectations and sustained grassroots work.

“But we do need to think humanely. You need so much knowledge to say anything. Why did I struggle so much for 15 years? Because to run a party you need to understand the expectations of lakhs of people,” he added.

A video clip of his speech has since gone viral across social media platforms.

‘Don’t compare Andhra and Tamil Nadu politics’

Earlier, while interacting with party workers in Mangalagiri, Pawan Kalyan revealed that many supporters had compared his political journey with Vijay’s recent success in Tamil Nadu.

However, the actor-politician dismissed such comparisons, arguing that Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have vastly different political environments.

“Ever since the Tamil Nadu elections and him becoming Chief Minister, people are pressuring me. In our neighbouring state, an actor established a party and became the Chief Minister. A lot of people have since messaged me that I should’ve done the same in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.

Kalyan also used a Telugu proverb to explain how outsiders often create unnecessary excitement around situations that do not directly involve them.

“The situation in Andhra Pradesh is different. I contested in the 2019 election. What did they do? Even the Ministers didn’t stick by me. So, don’t compare,” he added.

Pawan Kalyan has been active in Andhra Pradesh politics for over a decade through the Jana Sena Party, while Vijay recently entered active politics with his party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, commonly known as TVK.