As Chiranjeevi faces flak for dismissing the casting-couch culture in Tollywood, an account of his first encounter with his daughter-in-law, Upasana, resurfaces. Read to know why.
Double celebrations for the Konidela family! Actor, Ram Charan and his entrepreneur wife, Upasana Konidela, have welcomed twins on January 31, 2026. The couple's firstborn, Klin Kaara, is now a big sister to a baby boy and a baby girl. The happy news was announced by Ram Charan's father, Chiranjeevi, through a heartfelt social media post. Both the mother and the newborns are healthy and doing well. As Chiranjeevi expressed happiness for his son and daughter-in-law's new chapter of life, details of the Indra actor's bond with Upasana and his first impression of her resurfaced.
Upasana revealed that Vishwambhara star, Chiranjeevi, was aware of her presence in his son's life, even before officially meeting her. It shows that Ram Charan was serious about her, having already informed his parents about the love of his life. Since Upasana and her in-laws were not strangers to each other during their first encounter, it would have been easier to communicate and bond. Upasana mentioned how welcoming they were and shared what they said when they first met her.
Upon meeting Upasana before her marriage to his son, Ram Charan, Chiranjeevi's first impression of her was that she was not like conventional South Indian women. His reaction might be based on her confident presence and due to her career goals and aspirations. Sharing the same with Curly Tales, Upasana said:
"He knew about me, and said she is not a traditional girl, she is different. He encourages me, respects what I do, and I have utmost respect for my in-laws. It is so important to have supportive in-laws."
Upasana said that Chiranjeevi and the rest of the family have been incredibly supportive towards her career. As per her, Chiranjeevi respects her work and encourages her to excel in her field.
Ram Charan's mother, Surekha, was also warm and affectionate towards her daughter-in-law, Upasana. Upasana revealed that she confided in Surekha the most, with her worries regarding being a celebrity's wife. Upasana, initially, thought of speaking with her own mother regarding this, but realised she, too, was not used to such a life. The only one in her closest vicinity who could guide her regarding that was her mother-in-law. Surekha's main advice to Upasana was:
"Seeing is believing. Don't believe everything everybody says."
Having faced the trials and tribulations of being a non-celebrity wife of a top star, Surekha knew about the kind of life Upasana was going to step into. Thus, she coached her on how to adjust to life in a high-profile film family and became her most significant pillar of support during periods of difficulty.
In the same interview, Upasana revealed that her and Ram Charan's love story was not at all movie-like, contrary to public perception. She mentioned that their relationship was quite simple, just like any other friends-turned-lovers. Ram Charan and Upasana met during their college days, where they began as friends. According to Upasana, their friendship wasn't an instant, "filmy" connection, but rather one that grew gradually over time, even with its share of arguments.
Their relationship didn't turn romantic until Upasana went overseas to study. The distance between them made Ram Charan realise how much he missed her, especially while filming his hit movie, Magadheera. Regarding that, Upasana said,
"Love just happened, and it was a nice change".
After dating for a few years, the couple got engaged in December 2011 and tied the knot six months later. Upasana described her marriage with Ram Charan as a partnership of equals, noting that he and his parents pushed her to achieve more.
What are your thoughts on Upasana's bond with her husband, Ram Charan, and her in-laws?
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