Who is Anna Lezhneva? Inside her love story with Pawan Kalyan

Anna Lezhneva, also referred to as Anna Konidela, is an actress and a model from Russia who was married to actor-politician Pawan Kalyan for 13 years. Born in 1980, Anna Lezhneva has been a person of interest owing to her professional endeavours and private life, but she always tried her best to stay away from the public eye as much as possible.

However, the news of their separation brought her back into the headlines.

How did Anna Lezhneva meet Pawan Kalyan?

Anna and Pawan Kalyan met in 2011 while working on the Telugu film 'Teen Maar.' While Pawan Kalyan played the protagonist, Anna had a their short but important role in the movie. Their relationship developed quickly; Anna once revealed during a social media interaction that Pawan Kalyan proposed to her. After dating for around two years, the couple married on September 30, 2013, in Hyderabad under the Special Marriage Act.

Their wedding marked Pawan Kalyan's third marriage.

Anna Lezhneva and Pawan Kalyan's children and family life

The couple has two children together, including their son Mark Shankar Pawanovich, who was born in 2017. Anna also has a daughter, Polena Anjana Pawanova, from her previous marriage, whom Pawan Kalyan adopted. Though she is a public figure, Anna has mostly maintained a private lifestyle and has not regularly appeared at film-related events. She focused on pursuing her studies and graduated with a Master of Arts degree from the National University of Singapore in 2024.

News reports also reveal that she has business connections in the hotel field in Singapore and Russia.

Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva announce separation after 13 years

After more than a decade together, Pawan Kalyan and Anna Lezhneva announced their decision to separate in November 2026 through a joint statement. They said their decision was made with mutual understanding and respect and assured they would continue to remain friends and devoted parents to their children. The announcement ended their 13-year marriage and renewed interest in Anna's life and her journey with the actor.

Even though they have decided to go separate ways, both are equally concerned about making their child happy.