For over two decades, fans have longed to see Pawan Kalyan bring back the raw electricity of his Kushi days. On Saturday evening, at the pre-release event of They Call Him OG, that nostalgia collided with the present in spectacular fashion. The actor walked onto the stage not with political gravitas, but with a katana in hand, sparking thunderous roars from thousands in attendance.
“In my life, I never came like this to an audio function,” he declared, holding the blade aloft. “It’s done by Sujeeth but done for you.”
What followed was nothing short of vintage Pawan Kalyan for OG. The star recited ‘Washi Yo Washi’, a dialogue-musical piece penned by director Sujeeth. “Sujeeth wrote this haiku in the film. It comes at the right time. Listen to it,” Pawan said before diving into a fiery live recital. The crowd went into a frenzy, chanting and waving banners, some visibly overwhelmed to see their idol channel such unbridled energy after years.
The actor reserved his highest praise for his director. “Sujeeth is not an ordinary fan,” he revealed, recalling how the filmmaker once wore a Johnny headband for a month, earning scoldings from his mother. “Trivikram gaaru brought me Sujeeth. He doesn’t explain much, but does a lot. When he narrates a story, it’s in breaks and pieces. But when he shot the film, I understood what he is!”
Calling Sujeeth and composer Thaman the “two stars of this film,” Pawan admitted they pulled him into their creative “trip.” He laughed, “I forgot I am the Deputy CM. Imagine, a Deputy CM coming with a katana like this. All this works in the film.”
The Powerstar didn’t stop there. “DOP Ravichandran and Manoj Paramahamsa gave classic visuals. Ravi K Chandran gaaru is a poet in celluloid. Priyanka Arul Mohan plays an 80s heroine character in OG. Though the romance is very less, the way it is shot is heartfelt, makes us aspirational.”
In perhaps the night’s most stirring admission, he told the fans, “I am seeing the josh I saw during Kushi movie time, now for OG again. I can’t believe that people were waiting this much for my film after a while. Sujeeth even made me learn Japanese for the film. I would especially like to thank Sujeeth’s directorial team, a group of youngsters. If I had a team like this when I directed films, I probably wouldn’t have entered politics. They did a phenomenal job.”
And to those restless about the delayed trailer drop, he cheekily reminded them of a line from Jalsa, “Sanjay Sahoo doesn’t get anything that easy. It’s the same for Pawan Kalyan. It’s the same.” He then launched the much-anticipated trailer, sending the atmosphere into a fever pitch.
Directed by Sujeeth, OG is a stylised period gangster drama with Pawan Kalyan essaying Ojas Gambheera, a character unlike any in his long career. Bollywood star Emraan Hashmi makes his Telugu debut as Omi Bhau, while Priyanka Mohan steps in as the leading lady. The ensemble cast also boasts Prakash Raj, Sriya Reddy, Arjun Das, Shaam and Harish Uthaman.
With Ravi K Chandran and Manoj Paramahamsa behind the lens, production designer A S Prakash sculpting the backdrop, and Thaman pumping out chart-busting tracks, the film has already whipped fans into a frenzy.
Backed by DVV Entertainment, They Call Him OG releases worldwide on September 25. Netflix has snapped up the digital rights, with a streaming premiere expected in November. But for those at Saturday’s event, one thing was clear, the Power Star has roared back to the screen with the kind of fire not seen in a while.