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Indian Express
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kannappa box office collection day 3: Prabhas, Akshay Kumar cameos can't save Vishnu Manchu's film; fails to outpace Dhanush's Kuberaa, earns less than HanuMan
Kannappa box office collection day 3: After giving Vishnu Manchu the biggest opening of his career, his latest mythological film Kannappa saw a fall in its collection over the weekend. According to Sacnilk, the film minted Rs 7.25 crore on Sunday, bringing its total domestic collection to Rs 23.75 crore. With strong cameos by superstars like Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, and Prabhas, the anticipation around the release of Kannappa was very high. On its opening day, Friday, it raked in Rs 9.35 crore. During its first weekend — when films usually soar and establish a strong box office base — Kannappa saw a 23 percent drop in its collection on Saturday, earning Rs 7.15 crore. The film maintained the same momentum on Sunday and minted Rs 7.25 crore. Despite releasing in multiple languages, Kannappa has been performing best in the Telugu region. It had an overall 39.93% Telugu occupancy on Sunday, higher than other versions. The Tamil version recorded 24.11% occupancy, the Hindi version stood at 22.71%, and Malayalam occupancy was 5.82%. Telugu cinema has been on fire with Vishnu Manchu's Kannappa and Dhanush's Kuberaa releasing just a week apart. While the multi-starrer Kannappa hit theatres on June 27, Dhanush's crime thriller arrived on June 20. However, Kannappa hasn't been able to outpace Kuberaa. If we compare the performance of the first three days of release, Kuberaa minted Rs 48.6 crore, whereas Kannappa has managed to collect Rs 23.75 crore in the same time period. The last mythological Telugu film that made a mark and surprised audiences by outperforming big-budget films with star power — like Mahesh Babu's Guntur Kaaram, Venkatesh's Saindhav, and Nagarjuna's Naa Saami Ranga — was Teja Sajja's HanuMan, which had collected Rs 24.65 crore within the first three days of release, slightly more than Kannappa. HanuMan went on to mint over Rs 200 crore in the domestic market. Coming back to Kannappa, the film is based on the legend of Kannappa, a devotee of Lord Shiva. It also stars Kajal Aggarwal, Preity Mukhundhan, Mohan Babu, R Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Madhoo in key roles. It is directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Kannappa box office collection day 2: Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas can't save Vishnu Manchu's film from dipping on Saturday
Kannappa box office collection day 2: Mukesh Kumar Singh's mythological epic Kannappa boasts of a stellar star cast. While it's led by Vishnu Manchu, the film has a pan-India ensemble cast, ranging from Malayalam cinema's Mohanlal, Hindi cinema's Akshay Kumar, and Telugu cinema's very own, Prabhas. However, the combined might of these powerhouses couldn't help the film secure a consistent opening weekend. After opening at Rs 9.35 crore on Friday, Manchu's biggest opening yet, Kannappa dropped down to Rs 7 crore across all four languages at the domestic box office. While the native Telugu version scored the lion's share of that figure, it was followed by the dubbed Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil versions, respectively. As per trade tracker Sacnilk, the domestic box office collection of Kannappa stands at Rs 16.35 crore. It's rare for a pan-Indian film to register a dip in figures on the second day itself, that too on a weekend. Whether it's able to bounce back on Sunday or not will determine its further trajectory at the domestic box office. Ahead of the release, the makers issued a statement warning trolls against creating 'intentional and destructive attacks' on the film. The notice read, 'The film has been created responsibly to engage with the public at large and we thereby respectfully request all critiques to watch the film first, appreciate its substance, understand the intent and then comment on it with responsibility, rather than succumbing to premeditated biases or vendetta-fuelled commentary.' It added, 'While we recognize that the right to freedom of speech and expression is sacrosanct and enshrined under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India, it is also equally established, by judicial interpretations that intentional and destructive attack, whether physical or reputational, on a creative work is not protected speech but a form of actionable injury and we reserve our rights to take appropriate legal action in this regard.' 'Furthermore, it is pertinent to note that the Hon'ble Delhi High Court has granted protection to the personality and publicity rights of two key stakeholders and principal actors of Kannappa, namely, Dr. Mohan Babu and Mr. Vishnu Manchu, and any dilution or tarnishment of their persona, image or district attributes, including any form of unauthorized use of dissemination of content which misappropriates or defames them, whether for commercial, personal, or any other gains may invite consequences under the present direction from the Hon'ble Court as well as under applicable laws,' read the statement. The mythological epic narrates the story of Kannappa, a devotee of Lord Shiva. The film is produced by Manchu's banners AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory. Besides Vishnu Manchu in the titular role, Prabhas as Rudra, Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva, and Kajal Aggarwal as Parvathi, 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. Also Read — Kannappa movie review: Vishnu Manchu's ambition cannot fully save this tediously long saga In the Hindi market, Kannappa is facing stiff competition from RS Prasanna's coming-of-age sports comedy Sitaare Zameen Par, a spiritual sequel to Aamir Khan's 2007 directorial debut Taare Zameen Par. The film, starring Aamir and Genelia D'Souza, among others, has crossed the Rs 100 crore mark in nine days. Its domestic box office collection stands at Rs 109.27 crore.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Vishnu Manchu's estranged brother Manchu Manoj calls Kannappa ‘1000 times better than expected', heaps praise on Prabhas
The much-awaited Telugu film Kannappa finally hit the screens on 27 June. In a surprising turn of events, Vishnu Manchu's brother, Manchu Manoj, was seen at Prasads Multiplex catching the very first show of the movie. His presence raised eyebrows, given the not-so-warm equation between the two brothers. Manoj also heaped praise on the film during his review. Manchu Manoj praises brother Vishnu Manchu's performance in Kannappa. As Manoj was exiting the theatre, he was surrounded by media seeking his reaction to the movie. As quoted by Gulte, Manoj said, "The film is a thousand times better than I expected. After Prabhas enters, the movie goes to the next level." Without naming anyone, he added, "I never imagined, even in my dreams, such a brilliant performance in the climax," which many believed to be a nod to the film's lead, Vishnu Manchu. He further congratulated the team of Kannappa, saying, "I hope the film becomes a huge success and that the money invested is returned a thousandfold." This comes shortly after Manoj omitted his brother, Vishnu Manchu, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) while sending best wishes to the Kannappa team. Ahead of the film's release, he wrote, "All the best to Team #Kannappa! My Dad and his team have poured years of effort and love into this film. I'm praying it roars to blockbuster success. Can't wait to see my little champs Ari, Vivi, and Avram make memories on the big screen. So happy that #TanikellaBharani garu's lifelong dream is coming alive tomorrow. I wholeheartedly thank the golden-hearted PraBoss garu & the G.O.A.T.s #Mohanlal Garu, #AkshayKumar Garu, #PrabhuDeva Garu, and each and every one who supported this film with love and belief. Can't wait to see you all shine on the big screen. May Lord Shiva bless this journey with light, love, and legacy." For the unversed, during the promotions of the film, Vishnu accused his brother Manoj of stealing the hard drive containing Kannappa's footage. Speaking at an event in Chennai, Vishnu alleged that Raghu and Charitha, who allegedly stole the disk, were part of Manoj's staff. 'In case the culprits manage to leak the footage, I urge everyone not to watch the leaked content. About 70 minutes of colour-graded footage that was sent from a Mumbai facility to our father's Film Nagar residence was stolen by Raghu more than a month ago,' he said. About Kannappa The mythological epic narrates the story of the legendary devotee of Lord Shiva. Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced under Manchu's banners — AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory — the film stars Vishnu Manchu in the lead role alongside Preity Mukhundhan, Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Madhoo. The film also features star-studded cameos by Mohanlal, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, and Kajal Aggarwal
India Today
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Kannappa box office Day 1: Vishnu Manchu's film outperforms Maa, F1 in India
Telugu devotional film, 'Kannappa', opened on a solid note at the domestic box office upon its release on June 27. The film has surpassed the Day 1 collection of Kajol's horror drama 'Maa', and Brad Pitt's 'F1' at the box office in India. 'Kannappa' is a film based on the legend of Kannappa, a staunch devotee of Lord to the tracking website, Sacnilk, the film earned Rs 9 crore nett at the domestic box office. While this isn't a huge number to start the theatrical run with, the film has been clocking in excellent occupancy in theatres. 'Kannappa' is expected to see an incline in numbers during the 'Maa' minted Rs 4.50 crore, half of what 'Kannappa' did on its first day at the box office. Brad Pitt's much-anticipated 'F1' collected Rs 5.25 crore in India. India Today reviewer, Sanjay Ponnappa, rated the film 2.5 out 5 stars and wrote, "Kannappa falters when it comes to direction, screenplay, and execution. Director Mukesh Kumar Singh, known for several mythological TV serials, brings the same melodramatic and slightly outdated touch to the film. The story and screenplay, written by Vishnu Manchu himself, add a fictional arc to the devotional tale we all know. Although the arc has interesting ideas, it suffers from poor execution in both writing and direction."Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, 'Kannappa' features an ensemble cast including Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggawarlal and Prabhas in cameo roles. The supporting roles include Mohan Babu, Sarathkumar, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Madhoo, Mukesh Rishi and Raghu Babu.'Kannappa' is jointly produced by AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory.- EndsMust Watch
Hans India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
'Kannappa' moved Mohan Babu deeply
Dynamic Star Vishnu Manchu's dream project 'Kannappa,' directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by M. Mohan Babu under AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory, is set for release on the 27th of this month. In the meantime, director Mukesh Kumar Singh revealed several interesting insights about the film. Q: It is said that Mohan Babu binge-watched your 'Mahabharat' series and recommended you to Vishnu Manchu for 'Kannappa.' How did it all begin? Yes, that's true. It all started when director Eshwar Reddy called me about the 'Mahabharat' series. I clarified it wasn't solely my work—two other directors were involved, and I gave him their contact details. Later, Anup Singh Thakur, who played Dhritarashtra in 'Mahabharat' and acted with Vishnu in 'Achari America Yatra,' informed me that Vishnu Manchu wanted to talk. Vishnu called soon after and invited me to Hyderabad. We spoke for 3–4 hours about the story. Around a month later, Mohan Babu garu, who had returned by then, invited me to his house. We spent an hour discussing 'Mahabharat,' and he immediately called Vishnu and said, 'This is the man who will direct 'Kannappa.'' Q: Since you worked on 'Mahabharat,' how familiar were you with 'Kannappa'? I wasn't familiar initially. Vishnu narrated the story and wanted it on a grand scale. I then conducted my own research—visiting Tirupati and Sri Kalahasti over ten times, engaging with temple priests, reading articles, and watching videos. I shared my insights with Vishnu to understand how he would bring 'Kannappa's' soul to life. Q: What differences did you experience moving from TV to cinema? I've also produced three English-language films, so cinema wasn't new to me. In fact, many TV projects I directed were grander than some films. TV is fast-paced, often with little prep time. In contrast, cinema allows for deeper planning. I officially joined 'Kannappa' in January, and we began filming on October 4—my birthday. Q: The film features multiple pan-India stars. How did you manage that ensemble? That was exciting. Surprisingly, managing TV actors is harder. Film stars like Mohan Babu, Vishnu, Prabhas, and others are disciplined and passionate. Initially, there were challenges, but once we aligned creatively, it went smoothly. Mohan Babu garu is intensely focused and energetic on screen. Q: Was the film shot only in Telugu? The Kailasam portion was filmed in Telugu. Scenes with Lord Shiva and Parvati were shot in both Telugu and Hindi, with the entire film dubbed into multiple languages. Q: Did you watch earlier 'Kannappa' films? Yes, I watched all of them. They're inspiring. At times, I was anxious about living up to their legacy. But the last hour of our film will leave audiences stunned by Vishnu's performance. Q: Tell us about the art department's work. Art director Chinna did in-depth research. We brought in technicians from Mumbai and Los Angeles. My team visited museums to study ancient weapons. We initially planned 20 days of shooting in New Zealand but ended up doing most of it there due to the perfect locations. About 80% of the film was shot on real locations. Akshay Kumar and Prabhas' scenes were shot in India. Budget was never a limitation—Vishnu ensured we had everything needed. Q: What is the scope of Prabhas's role? Every character in 'Kannappa' holds weight. Whether it's Mohan Babu, Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal, or Prabhas, they all contribute meaningfully to the story. Prabhas fans will be pleased—his role is significant and impactful. After watching the film, Mohan Babu garu hugged me. That was my highest compliment. Even external viewers have given extremely positive feedback. Q: The censor board suggested 13 cuts. What's your take? Those edits were needed to secure a U or U/A certificate. The film has intense action, and we wanted it accessible for broader audiences, so we made the changes. Q: How much of the story is fictionalized? The source material from Periya Puranam, Bhagavata Purana, and Sri Kalahasti Shapatham is just a page and a half. We built upon that foundation to create a 2+ hour cinematic narrative. While we took creative liberties, the soul of the story remains intact. Q: Who helped you with the dialogues? I worked with Telugu-speaking assistant directors and translated most of it myself. Vishnu, Mohan Babu, and a few writers helped refine the dialogues. Q: What was the response from Sri Kalahasti priests after watching the film? We screened it for them, and their reaction was priceless. They asked, 'When is Part 2?' and said not a single word needed changing. That was the greatest validation. Q: How did you ensure the story resonated with today's audiences? We clarified early on—this isn't a mythological film; it's historical. Some believe Kannappa was tribal, others say he was Arjuna's reincarnation. At the core, he donated his eyes in devotion. That message needed to reach today's generation. Q: Are you working on a 'Mahabharat' film next? Yes, I'm planning a cinematic adaptation. 'Mahabharat' is an open subject—anyone can tell it in their own way. I greatly admire S.S. Rajamouli's work; after Satyajit Ray, he's done the most to elevate Indian cinema globally. Though I've done it on TV, film offers a much broader canvas. Q: Your view on using graphics in films today? VFX must be used wisely. Overuse can dilute authenticity. The goal is to blend graphics with reality—to enhance, not replace it. Q: A final word on Mohan Babu's role? Mohan Babu garu's role in 'Kannappa' is unlike anything in previous versions. His performance will surprise audiences. He's also playing the antagonist in Nani's upcoming film. His versatility and intensity are truly exceptional.
