Kannappa review: Vishnu Manchu's slow-paced narrative, Prabhas–Akshay Kumar cameos fall flat

The last Friday of June has arrived with the release of two films, one being Mukesh Kumar Singh's Kannappa, featuring a stellar cast including Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, and Mohanlal, and Maa, starring Kajol.

Unfortunately, both films have had a lackluster start at the box office.

Kannappa failed to impress cinegoers. Viewers criticized the film's shoddy first half and low-quality VFX, calling them "below the belt." While the second half received some praise, overall, the film did not live up to the hype.

About the film

Kannappa is a mythological action drama based on the story of the legendary devotee of Lord Shiva. The film centres around Thinnadu, whose unwavering faith in Lord Shiva takes him on a transformative journey. Vishnu Manchu plays the titular role of Kannappa, while Akshay Kumar appears as Lord Shiva in a special appearance.

For the unversed, Prabhas shares a deep personal connection with the story. His uncle, the late Krishnam Raju, portrayed the lead role in the 1976 classic Bhakta Kannappa, directed by Bapu. The film's success left a lasting impression on Prabhas, making this project particularly meaningful for him.

Produced by Mohan Babu and directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, Kannappa is a Telugu-language film blending mythology and action with a modern cinematic touch.

Cast 

Akshay Kumar: Adds star power with a special appearance as Lord Shiva.

Kajal Aggarwal: Plays Goddess Parvati, alongside Akshay. She was last seen in Sikandar, opposite Salman Khan and Rashmika Mandanna.

Mohanlal: Makes a cameo as Kirata, a crucial character in the Bhakta Kannappa narrative.

Prabhas: Appears as Rudra, potentially inspired by Rudra Pasupati Nayanar, one of the 63 revered Nayanar saints known for their devotion to Lord Shiva.

A user wrote, "First half is slow and builds up the plot, and 2nd half is pure devotion and is structured amazingly. #Prabhas Anna and @iVishnuManchu Anna did very well. The last 25 Mins of the film was pure goosebumps for me. Theater went silent and everyone synced with the emotion. Honestly great cinema for the weekend in my opinion.."

Another wrote, "Just watched #Kannappa. My Rating: 3.5/5. For the goosebump BGM in 2nd half – pure magic! #VishnuManchu's performance shines, especially in emotional scenes. #Prabhas & #MohanBabu's powerful presence takes it to another level. Half star for stunning visuals in the climax. 1st half is below average, slow & dull. 2nd half is a Super Blockbuster! Note: Must Watch for the epic 2nd half & performances!"

The third one wrote, "Prabhas dialogues ki theatre lo whistles vachchayi. Vishnu emotional ga perform chesadu especially 2nd half lo Mythology and visuals solid ga connect ayayi. (People whistled to Prabhas' dialogues. Vishnu portrayed emotions well and especially in the second half, the mythology and visuals are good)"

The fourth one said, "Horrible sir.. vfx song lo scene lo fight lo asalu emotion undadu.. this is the story of Bhakta Kannappa but Bhakta undadu.. except Prabhas scenes movie motham worst.. asalu page page la dialogues with out emotion enduko artam kadu #Kannappa.."

Prabhas and Akshay Kumar's entry scene wows fans; crowd erupts in cheers, whistles in the theatre

A couple of days before the film's release, the makers issued a public notice, warning that legal action would be taken against anyone attempting to troll or malign the film.  They urged both critics and audiences to watch the film before passing judgment.

The notice stated that while the makers respect freedom of speech, they also reserve the right to challenge any deliberate attacks and pursue legal action if necessary.