Vishnu Manchu’s dream project ‘Kannappa’ hit the big screens on Friday, and enjoyed a good reception at the box office well into its second day.Kannappa Movie ReviewAccording to trade analyst Sacnilk, the film opened on Friday to an estimated collection of Rs 9.35 crore. However, it saw its collection drop to Rs 7 crore on Day 2, Saturday, taking its total domestic haul to approximately Rs 16.35 crore.‘Kannappa’ still maintained to keep a steady footfall across regions. The mythological action-drama features brief appearances of Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal, and Mohanlal. The film continues to perform exceptionally well in Telugu-speaking regions, with a reported 44.42% occupancy on Saturday. Morning shows opened at a decent 27%, and by night, occupancy had risen to a strong 58.54%.In Tamil Nadu, ‘Kannappa’ recorded 19.84% overall occupancy, with notable spikes during the afternoon (23.41%) and night (27.68%) shows. While the film doesn’t have a rooted Tamil connection, it has still managed to draw viewers owing to the star cast and universal storyline.The Hindi version saw a 17.37% occupancy, with numbers improving into the evening and night slots. The night shows touched nearly 29%, showing potential for growth, especially over the weekend. In Malayalam, however, the film had a more modest response, reporting 5.81% occupancy, with slight increases during the night.Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, ‘Kannappa’ is a mythological tale rooted in the devotion of ‘Kannappa’, a tribal hunter who becomes one of Lord Shiva’s most revered devotees. Thinnadu worships Lord Shiva in his own uninhibited way, culminating in the legendary act of sacrificing his own eyes to stop the bleeding of the Shiva Lingam, symbolizing ultimate devotion and surrender. Vishnu Manchu plays the titular role, supported by a star-studded cast including Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Madhoo, Preity Mukhundhan, Mukesh Rishi, Brahmaji, and Brahmanandam.Vishnu Manchu’s performance has been praised for its emotional depth, especially in the second half, and Prabhas’s entry as Rudra is seen as a highlight that lifts the film with his calm and wise presence.The film was shot extensively in New Zealand, with music composed by Stephen Devassy and cinematography by Sheldon Chau. The pan-India film was released in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. The film has a runtime of approximately 3 hours and three minutes.On the day of the release, Vishnu Manchu wrote on social media, “This moment… I’ve waited for it my entire life. Hearing the overwhelming love pouring in from overseas premieres and early morning shows in India fills my heart with gratitude. #Kannappa is no longer just my film—it’s yours now. #HarHarMahadev”
