Vishnu Manchu in ‘Kannappa’.
Kannappa, the big-budget devotional drama, hit the screens on June 27, 2025. The film, headlined by Vishnu Manchu, is produced by veteran Mohan Babu. The pan-Indian movie, originally shot in Telugu, released in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam.

Kannappa stars Prabhas, Mohanlal, Kajal Aggarwal and Akshay Kumar in important cameos. Preity Mukundhan plays the female lead in the movie.
Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, Kannappa tells the tale of Thinnadu (Vishnu Manchu), a fearless warrior who transforms into Lord Shiva’s ultimate devotee. Bollywood star Akshay Kumar appears in the role of Lord Shiva. Mohanlal plays Kirata, while Prabhas essays Rudra.
According to the portal Sacnilk.com, Kannappa collected Rs 9 crore on the opening day. The Telugu occupancy for the film was 55.89 per cent.
The Hindu review of the film said, “With a sprawling ensemble that includes veterans like Madhoo, Brahmanandam, Sapthagiri, Brahmaji, Mukesh Rishi, and Aishwariyaa Bhaskaran, the film is overpopulated and underwritten. Of these, only Sarath Kumar and Mohan Babu leave a lasting impression. Vishnu Manchu finds his footing in the emotional climax, but by then, much of the momentum is already lost.
Ultimately, Kannappa had a moving legend to build upon — a tale of unwavering faith and sacrifice. But what it needed was not more star power or visual gloss, but storytelling rooted in emotional clarity and cultural texture. In striving for grandeur, it forgets to tell the story that matters.”
Published – June 28, 2025 10:51 am IST