Kanappa team slams 'cowardly attempts' to leak 90 minutes of stolen footage

India Today

27-05-2025

A hard disk containing crucial footage from the Vishnu Manchu-starrer 'Kannappa' was recently stolen. 24 Frames Factory, credited as one of the production companies, shared an official statement about the issue. The team condemned the 'cowardly attempts' to sabotage the epic action-drama ahead of its release.The statement titled, "Official Statement From 24 Frames Factory Regarding The Theft Of Crucial Kanappa Footage,' read, "In response to circulating rumours and speculation, 24 Frames Factory is issuing this official statement to bring clarity to the situation. A hard drive containing a pivotal action sequence between two lead characters of Kannappa, along with critical VFX work, was stolen during transit. The drive was shipped from Hive Studios, Mumbai, and intended to be delivered to our official production office."advertisementIt further alleged, "Shockingly, the package was unlawfully intercepted and signed for by an individual named Mr. Raghu, who acted under the instructions of a woman named Charita. Neither of them are employees, representatives, or associates of 24 Frames Factory. Their act constitutes impersonation and theft. A police complaint was formally filed nearly four weeks ago, and the investigating authorities have been fully briefed on the identity of those behind this. It is no secret who orchestrated this attempt—both we and law enforcement are well aware of the forces at play. The perpetrator's identity is known, and the motive is clear."
24 Frames Factory also claimed, "More disturbingly, credible intelligence has recently emerged that these individuals, under guidance from the same source, are planning to leak over 90 minutes of unreleased footage online in a desperate attempt to derail the release of Kannappa. In response, the Executive Producer has formally escalated the matter to Cyber Crime authorities to take swift and firm action. It is disheartening to see such cheap and calculated tactics being deployed from within the industry itself. This is not mischief—it is sabotage, and it reflects a deeply unfortunate descent into personal vendetta-driven behaviour."
24 Frames Factory issued an official statement on 'Kanappa' hard-drive getting stolen ahead of its release.
advertisementThe statement concluded, "At a time when Telugu cinema is earning global recognition, stooping to such levels is not just regressive—it is disgraceful. We stand united with our team, our cast, and every technician who has worked with unshakable commitment to make Kannappa a cinematic landmark. We will not be shaken by these cowardly attempts. Justice will be pursued with full force—and we trust that the truth, as always, will prevail. We urge the public and the media not to entertain or circulate any pirated content if it emerges, and to stand by the artists and technicians who have poured years of effort into this magnum opus. Integrity will triumph. – 24 Frames Factory"'Kanappa' is a mythological story about the legend of Kanappa based on Lord Shiva. Apart from Vishnu Manchu, it features Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal, along with Akshay Kumar in pivotal characters. Manchu recently spoke about Prabhas's 30-minute extended cameo in the movie.Kanappa is scheduled to be released on June 27, 2025.
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