Actor Pawan Kalyan has said that as a teenager he nearly joined the Naxalites. In interviews cited by multiple outlets, he describes wanting to take up a weapon in his teens, portraying the idea as something he was considering at the time. Both sources report that his decision did not move forward because his brother Chiranjeevi asked him questions and intervened, which helped change his mind. The accounts focus on Pawan Kalyan’s recollection of that period rather than providing independent verification of the circumstances. Neither report presents additional details such as when exactly the conversations occurred, what specific questions Chiranjeevi asked, or whether any formal recruitment was involved. Overall, the reports agree on the core elements of the story: Pawan Kalyan says he considered joining the Naxalites in his youth, and he credits Chiranjeevi with stopping him from doing so.