Showing posts with label Kannappa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kannappa. Show all posts
(Crisp) Movie Review: KANNAPPA by FENIL SETA
3:46 PM
Kannappa is a wholesome entertainer as it blends mythology with conventional commercial elements. The plot is simplistic and the direction is mass-appealing. The cameos are enticing while the last 20 minutes will give goosebumps. Easily, the best part of the film. However, the film is very lengthy and has a Baahubali Part 1 hangover, especially during the romantic track. The VFX could have been classier. At one point in the second half, one wonders where the film is heading and the interest depletes. Vishnu Manchu plays the lead role with aplomb. Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva is truly divine. It's a proud feeling for the Hindi audience to see that Akshay has been given more prominence than the rest of the home market actors in a South film. Prabhas (Rudra) comes next followed by Mohanlal (Kirata) and Mohan Babu (Mahadev Shastri). Preity Mukhundhan makes her presence felt and is sure to get noticed in this role. Kajal Aggarwal (Parvati), R Sarath Kumar (Thinnadu's father), Aiswaryaa Bhaskaran (Maremma) and Mukesh Rishi (Kampa) are memorable. Arpit Ranka (Kalamukha) and Lavi Pajni (Bebbuli) are over the top. Brahmanandam (Pilaka) is wasted while Madhoo (Pannaga) gets sidelined after a point. All in all, Kannappa is worth watching for the subject, climax and Akshay Kumar.
My rating - *** out of 5!
My rating - *** out of 5!
Fenil's Bollywood Talk # 888
10:41 PM
SITAARE ZAMEEN PAR IS A HIT; WILL MAA, KANNAPPA, F1: THE MOVIE FOLLOW SUIT?
The industry is celebrating as Sitaare Zameen Par has emerged as a big hit. The mood of the industry was sombre on Friday morning as the advance wasn’t satisfactory. The distributors didn’t have any show before 11:00 am as they feared that the morning shows might get cancelled. However, the word of mouth from the press was positive. By evening, it picked up.
As per expectations, it collected Rs. 10.50 crores on Friday. On Saturday, it saw a nearly 100% jump as it earned Rs. 20 crores. This is rare in the post-pandemic era. Also, if a film sees such a dramatic jump on Day 2, the Day 3 jump is minimal. But Sitaare Zameen Par went on and collected Rs. 26.25 crores on Sunday. Thus, it earned Rs. 56.75 crores in 3 days.
On Monday, it dropped to Rs. 8.50 crores which was normal. On Tuesday, it collected the same amount which is another sign that the film is set for a long run. The first week collections will be in the range of Rs. 85-90 crores. It’ll surely jump in the second week and will also surely cross the Rs. 150 crore mark.
Meanwhile, the big release of the week is Maa, starring Kajol in the lead. It is a horror film and there’s a hint that it is connected to the Shaitaan universe. It grabbed attention but the excitement is minimal. Like Sitaare Zameen Par, there seems to be a wait-and-watch strategy for it as well. Unfortunately, the success of Sitaare Zameen Par can affect Maa to some degree. But if Maa’s reports are strong, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Maa will open at Rs. 3-4 crores and then it depends on the weekend jump and strong Monday to help the film achieve success.
As for Kannappa, it stars Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal and others in cameos while the lead role is played by Vishnu Manchu. The subject is enticing but the excitement in Hindi is very limited. It has even got very few shows in the North market. If public reports are positive, it’ll see an increase in shows as it happened with Karthikeya 2, Marco etc.
F1: The Movie, on the other hand, will appeal to the elite audience. There’s a demand to view the film on the big screen, especially IMAX. The reports are strong and hence, it can open at Rs. 3-4 crores, just like Maa.
The industry is celebrating as Sitaare Zameen Par has emerged as a big hit. The mood of the industry was sombre on Friday morning as the advance wasn’t satisfactory. The distributors didn’t have any show before 11:00 am as they feared that the morning shows might get cancelled. However, the word of mouth from the press was positive. By evening, it picked up.
As per expectations, it collected Rs. 10.50 crores on Friday. On Saturday, it saw a nearly 100% jump as it earned Rs. 20 crores. This is rare in the post-pandemic era. Also, if a film sees such a dramatic jump on Day 2, the Day 3 jump is minimal. But Sitaare Zameen Par went on and collected Rs. 26.25 crores on Sunday. Thus, it earned Rs. 56.75 crores in 3 days.
On Monday, it dropped to Rs. 8.50 crores which was normal. On Tuesday, it collected the same amount which is another sign that the film is set for a long run. The first week collections will be in the range of Rs. 85-90 crores. It’ll surely jump in the second week and will also surely cross the Rs. 150 crore mark.
Meanwhile, the big release of the week is Maa, starring Kajol in the lead. It is a horror film and there’s a hint that it is connected to the Shaitaan universe. It grabbed attention but the excitement is minimal. Like Sitaare Zameen Par, there seems to be a wait-and-watch strategy for it as well. Unfortunately, the success of Sitaare Zameen Par can affect Maa to some degree. But if Maa’s reports are strong, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Maa will open at Rs. 3-4 crores and then it depends on the weekend jump and strong Monday to help the film achieve success.
As for Kannappa, it stars Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal and others in cameos while the lead role is played by Vishnu Manchu. The subject is enticing but the excitement in Hindi is very limited. It has even got very few shows in the North market. If public reports are positive, it’ll see an increase in shows as it happened with Karthikeya 2, Marco etc.
F1: The Movie, on the other hand, will appeal to the elite audience. There’s a demand to view the film on the big screen, especially IMAX. The reports are strong and hence, it can open at Rs. 3-4 crores, just like Maa.
I think the media has been critical of and unkind to the Hindi film industry-Vishnu Manchu
4:12 PM
Readying Kannappa for release, actor Vishnu Manchu discusses scripting the larger-than-life story over four years and approaching mythological genre with caution
Priyanka Sharma (MID-DAY; June 17, 2025)
Actor Vishnu Manchu had a clear inspiration in mind when he began developing Kannappa over a decade ago. “I was thinking on the scale of The Lord of the Rings,” he says of the script that he first began writing with screenwriter Tanikella Bharani.
“After a few months, Bharani told me that he did not feel cut out to make a larger-than-life film. So, in 2015, he gave me the script to develop further,” recalls Manchu, who locked the script only by 2019.
Mukesh Kumar Singh’s directorial venture is inspired by the legend of Lord Shiva’s devotee Kannappa. As Manchu set out to mount the expansive project, he adhered to his thumb rule. “Don’t change the script when you are filming. [On set], improvisations can keep happening. But for me, changing the script is a sacrilege.”
Kannappa boasts cameos by Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, and Prabhas. How difficult was it to assemble a cast that other producers can only dream of?
Manchu, whose father Mohan Babu has produced the movie, says, “The stars agreeing to do the roles is Lord Shiva’s blessing. I had one name in mind for each character. Everything fell in place.”
Telling a mythological story is an uphill task today, with people often blaming the makers for hurting their religious sentiments. The sensitivity demanded while making such a project isn’t lost on the actor.
“You have to be very careful because you’re making a movie about Lord Shiva. You cannot mess around with people’s sentiments. But when you make a movie with devotion and honesty, even if there’s a mistake, people will excuse you. As far as I know, I’ve stayed true to the subject. Exploring such subjects is not risky; otherwise, Mahabharat [2013 serial] wouldn’t have come out.”
The Bollywood-vs-South debate has heated up in the past few years, with Hindi films’ lacklustre run becoming all the more glaring in the face of South blockbusters. Mention this to Manchu, and he says, “I think the media has been critical of and unkind to the Hindi film industry. There is no success formula. You can’t explain why the Tamil film Maharaja [2024] made a mark. Or why Sanam Teri Kasam [2016] made over Rs. 20 crore on its re-release. No film industry has a foolproof method.”
Kannappa footage leak case: Complaint filed against two production hands
4:05 PM
After 90 minutes’ footage of Kannappa is stolen, makers file police complaint against two staffers; work with cyber crime authorities to prevent leak ahead of June 27 release
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 29, 2025)
Actor and producer Vishnu Manchu, who leads the ambitious Telugu mythological drama Kannappa, is grappling with a major crisis. Around 90 minutes of the film’s raw footage was stolen, allegedly by production hands Raghu and Charitha, on May 25. While the incident hasn’t hampered the post-production process of the June 27 release as the team has a copy of the footage, it has prompted fears of an online leak among the makers.
We have learnt that Twenty Four Frames Factory, the banner behind Kannnappa, swiftly filed a complaint at the Film Nagar Police Station in Hyderabad against the two, accusing them of absconding with the footage with the malicious intent of sabotaging the project.
A source from the production team reveals that the footage was compromised when a hard disk, containing the rushes, was being sent from the Mumbai-based Hive Studios to the banner’s Hyderabad office. According to the DTDC courier’s delivery logs, the hard disk was delivered to a staff member named Raghu on May 25. Since then, both Raghu and Charitha have gone missing.
The production house is now working closely with Hyderabad’s cyber crime authorities to prevent a leak. An insider says, “We have also roped in global cyber security experts to ensure that no frame of the film makes it to the internet. Telegram, WhatsApp, X, and other social media sites are being monitored closely. The scenes in question are pivotal to the story. Any premature exposure would be creatively and financially devastating.”
The compromised footage includes critical sequences shot in New Zealand. The insider adds, “If the footage is leaked, reshooting those parts is out of the question. The New Zealand shoot took months of prep, and permits that took six months to be procured. It will not only cost several crores to replicate, but will also be infeasible given the actors’ tight schedules.”
Vishnu Manchu urges South stars to acknowledge Hindi belt’s support
10:37 AM
Deep Saxena (HINDUSTAN TIMES; April 18, 2025)
Telugu actor-filmmaker Vishnu Manchu believes artistes from the south should be actively promoting their films in the Hindi-speaking belt — as a gesture of gratitude. “You need to respect the money earned from the North, especially the Hindi heartland. They are showering love on our movies; we must acknowledge that.”
The poster for his upcoming fantasy drama Kannappa — set to release on June 27 — was recently unveiled by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The star-studded cast includes Akshay Kumar, Prabhas and Mohanlal.
On working with them, Vishnu says, “They’re great actors... This movie is far bigger than my market and has a big budget, so we needed a larger audience. People don’t see artistes as ‘South ka actor’ or ‘North ka actor’ anymore. Audiences are beginning to embrace them as apne actors.”
The 43-year-old also reflects on what’s driving south film’s box-office success across the country: “Filmmakers focus on rooted stories that carry emotional depth. But, it’s not fair to lump together all four industries — Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada — and pit them against Bollywood. Also, I feel the media has been quite harsh on the Hindi film industry.”
What’s next for him after Kannappa? “A pan-India film set during the Independence era; it’s going to shock the audience. We have many fascinating stories from our past that I want to tell. We’re already in talks with a big Bollywood star,” he signs off.
Kannappa makers wondered, ‘How will this delicate woman look like a strong warrior?’-Madhoo
8:14 AM
Madhoo, who plays a warrior queen in Kannappa, says she is being offered stronger characters in her second innings
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; February 25, 2025)
Playing a warrior queen in a big-budget action extravaganza is an opportunity that rarely comes in an actor’s life. Naturally then, Madhoo is delighted to be part of Kannappa that sees Vishnu Manchu play the titular role, and has cameos by Mohanlal, Prabhas and Akshay Kumar. Madhoo essays the role of Queen Pannaga, a fierce warrior queen. “My character leads her [all-women] army in their fight against the other clans. I had to do war scenes for the first time,” says the senior actor.
Director Mukesh Kumar Singh’s multi-lingual offering is based on the legend of Kannappa, a devotee of Lord Shiva. Shooting for the war sequences was a demanding experience, says Madhoo.
“Since I am slender, on the first day, the [makers] wondered, ‘How will this delicate woman look like a strong warrior?’ I didn’t have a fight master to train me nor did I have any workshops, so I trained myself. The stunts were like choreographed dance steps shown to me 10 minutes before my scene, and I could pull them off because I work out every day.”
Madhoo, who forayed into Bollywood with Phool Aur Kaante (1991), is enjoying the current phase of her career more than ever. Reason? She explains, “In my new innings, producers don’t come to me with soft roles. My characters are strong. In the old days, be it Roja [1992] or Pehchaan [1993], my roles had a softness in the beginning, but became strong eventually. Now, people are seeing me in a different light.”
The men in my family are scared of having me in their movies because I’ll outshine them-Lakshmi Manchu
9:32 AM
Lakshmi, who recently holidayed in Alto Paraiso de Goias in Brazil, says experience has inspired her to make adventure movie a la Indiana Jones
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; May 15, 2024)
A holiday is often rejuvenating, sometimes even mentally stimulating as you return home with a new perspective. For actor-producer Lakshmi Manchu, her Brazil vacation was just that. The actor—who has featured in American television shows Las Vegas and Desperate Housewives, and many Telugu offerings, including Lakshmi Bomb (2017)—visited Alto Paraíso de Goias in Brazil last month and says the region’s beauty has inspired to make an adventure movie set in a jungle.
To Manchu, staying near the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, replete with its lush greenery and stunning waterfalls, evoked multiple story ideas.
“I got a bunch of ideas sitting there. I’m back now and itching to call my writers for a jam session. The place has inspired me to make something like the Indiana Jones franchise. I find it incredibly rewarding to seek out new locations for shooting whenever I travel. I had mentioned to Manoj [Manchu, producer-brother] the abundance of incredible, unseen locations in Brazil. Travelling to such places often inspires new stories. During this trip, I immersed myself in the culture and lineage of the Umbanda [religion that is derived from Spiritism and combines elements of Afro-Brazilian religions], which has enriched my storytelling abilities with insight from my own culture. Right now, I’m pregnant with ideas and I’ll put this rich experience to use,” she says.
Her superstar-father Mohan Babu is producing Kannappa featuring Vishnu in the lead, with cameos by Akshay Kumar and Prabhas. Manchu quips, “I’m not a part of it. The men in my family are scared of having me in their movies because I’ll outshine them.”
She is instead focusing on a dark thriller for Disney+ Hotstar.
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