03 January 2025
Hyderabad
I struggle with myself when I’m asked to give away a book: Pawan Kalyan
After inaugurating The 35th Vijayawada Book Festival, organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS), on Thursday, AP Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan recalled how he spent a part of his remuneration from his blockbuster film Tholi Prema on purchasing books. “I got Rs 15 lakhs as my remuneration for Tholi Prema. I spent Rs 2 lakhs to acquire books. When I entered the book shop, the feeling was akin to entering the bank vault and seeing lakhs of money. I bought the books that I was interested in and I couldn’t sleep for the next three days; I just gazed at the books. I was reading some, while just seeing some. I was desperate to read all of them. According to Carl Sagan, one can read 10,000 books in his lifetime. To achieve it, we have to formulate a strategy. We should know about the books that are useful and not useful for us,” he said.
When a fan asked him to write a book, he said, “I’m not that knowledgeable. I have the power to understand but not the power to write; I can write my speeches and do journaling. To write a book, you have to see a lot of life. I don’t want to write with the help of someone. I believe you have to fight a war alone. If God blesses me in the future, maybe one day I can (write).”
He urged the current generation and next generation to develop the habit of reading. Addressing the attendance, he told them to be book lovers who will respect literary figures and protect the language of Telugu. “Knowledge aside, books will help you fight for a cause. When I was down, Gunturu Seshendra’s works motivated me. Similarly Deverakonda Balagangadhara Tilak showed me a way. These writers are not amongst us but their works guided me. Every book you see out there is a treasure trove of wealth; something that will give you courage,” he noted.
Pawan also took the opportunity to reveal that he doesn’t mind giving away Rs 1 crore but to give a book, he will think. “I struggle with myself when I’m asked to give away a book. Even when my kids ask me, I will purchase them a new copy but I would not give my collection; I have a great fondness for books.”
The book festival will go on until Jan 12 at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium on MG Road in Vijayawada.
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