
Vishnu Manchu says 'no Tollywood director was willing to work with him', hence he chose 'Hindi director' for Kannappa
Actor Vishnu Manchu has had a challenging few years in cinema. But his new release, Kannappa, has promised to wipe his slate clean. The film has earned ₹ 15 crore net in India on its first two days, already becoming one of Vishnu's highest-grossing films. This success meant that the film's team held a 'thank you meet' for media and fans in Hyderabad on Saturday, a day after the film's release. Vishnu Manchu on Mukesh Kumar Singh directing Kannappa Vishnu Manchu in a still from Kannappa. {{^userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}}
Kannappa is the story of the legendary devotee of Lord Shiva. The Telugu folk tale is popular in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and is one of the most popular mythological tales in the region. At the press meet, Vishnu was asked why he and the team chose a 'Bollywood filmmaker' - Mukesh Kumar Singh - to tell what was essentially a story rooted in Telugu culture.
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}}
Vishnu responded, 'You (media) very well know that no director from Tollywood would be willing to work with me if I approached them with the Kannappa script.' The actor then addressed his past box office failures and added, 'Also, my last few films didn't perform well. Mukesh Kumar Singh brilliantly handled a show based on an Indian epic. Despite Kannappa being his debut feature film as a director, I entrusted him with the responsibility. He is a hidden gem, and I want to bring such talent to the forefront.' {{^userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}}
Mukesh Kumar Singh has made his film debut with Kannappa. Prior to this, he had directed the popular Star Plus adaptation of Mahabharat. All about Kannappa {{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Mukesh Kumar Singh has made his film debut with Kannappa. Prior to this, he had directed the popular Star Plus adaptation of Mahabharat. All about Kannappa {{/usCountry}}
{{^usCountry}}
Kannappa stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role and also features star-studded cameos by Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal. The film also stars Preity Mukhundhan, Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Madhoo. {{/usCountry}}
{{#usCountry}}
Kannappa stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role and also features star-studded cameos by Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal. The film also stars Preity Mukhundhan, Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Madhoo. {{/usCountry}}
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON {{^userSubscribed}}
{{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}}

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Vishnu Manchu teases Kannappa prequel with a ‘leading director'
Jun 29, 2025 02:50 PM IST Mukesh Kumar Singh's Vishnu Manchu-starrer Kannappa was released in theatres this Friday. The film, which has cameos from Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal, Prabhas, and Mohanlal, gave Vishnu the biggest opening of his career. Talking to the press in Hyderabad on Saturday, the actor spoke about the potential for another film based on the lore. (Also Read: Kannappa ending explained: How Vishnu Manchu film reveals Mahabharat connection in climax with Akshay Kumar, Prabhas) Vishnu Manchu plays a hunter called Thinnadu in the devotional film Kannappa. Vishnu was asked at the press meet if it was possible for another film to be made based on the lore of Kannappa, and the actor surprised everyone by admitting that a prequel could potentially be made. 'A really good director…one of the leading directors today called me yesterday and asked me if I would be open to doing a prequel. I laughed because he said let's explore more of Kannappa as an atheist if you're interested. I was like, why not? We laughed about it because this film can have a prequel at best, but not a sequel,' explained Vishnu. Vishnu also revealed at the press meet that he has not yet sold the film to an OTT platform. 'I have not given it to an OTT yet. I've said this before, too. I was not offered the rate I requested. I asked them what if the film is a hit, and they quoted a certain number. I asked them to keep a cheque ready now,' he said. As per Sacnilk, Kannappa has collected an estimated ₹ 16.35 crore net in India in two days of release, showing a slight dip in collections on Saturday. It remains to be seen if the numbers perk up on Sunday. About Kannappa Kannappa is based on the lore of a hunter named Thinnadu who turns from an atheist to a great believer in Lord Shiva. Vishnu has often called the film his 'dream project,' and it has been in the making for years. He also wrote the screenplay for the film based on an idea provided by veteran actor-writer Tanikella Bharani.


Deccan Herald
22 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Kolhapuris get Prada makeover at Rs 1.2 lakh: Where's the credit, fume activists
As the debate escalated in India, Prada acknowledged the connection and said the design is 'inspired' by the Indian handcrafted footwear. It said the sandal featured in the men's 2026 fashion show is still at the design stage and none of the pieces worn by models on the ramp are confirmed to be commercialised.

Time of India
36 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Gajar Ka Halwa In Zero Gravity': PM Modi's Fun Chat With Shubhanshu Shukla
During a live interaction from the International Space Station, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's light-hearted question about sharing 'gajar ka halwa' with his teammates. Shukla revealed that he brought along 'gajar ka halwa', 'moong dal ka halwa', and 'aam ras' to ISS. He told PM Modi that he wanted everyone from other countries on the mission to enjoy the rich flavors of Indian cuisine. #shubhanshushukla #pmmodi #iss #gajarkahalwa #moongdalhalwa #aamras #indianfoodinspace #axiom4 #internationalspacestation #indianastronaut #spacemissionindia #gaganyaan #zerogravity #astronautlife #indiainspace #spaceexploration #isro #nasa #toi #toibharat Read More