कन्नप्पा

"KANNAPPA" (2025), a Telugu-language mythological devotional film directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, attempts to portray the life of Kannappa, a devoted follower of Lord Shiva.

As someone unfamiliar with the legend of Kannappa, I found the film largely unsuccessful in bringing his story to life.

At 3 hours and 3 minutes, the movie is excessively long, but my issue isn't with its runtime-it's with the sluggish pacing, unnecessary vulgarity for a devotional film, forgettable dialogue, and underdeveloped characters.

While the story centers on Kannappa, it also tries to mimic the grandeur of Baahubali, with Kannappa and Nemali resembling Prabhas and Tamannaah's characters from that epic.

Even the villain feels like a recycled version of Baahubali's Kaalikey.

The star-studded cast, including Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Kajal Aggarwal, Mukesh Rishi, and Prabhas, is impressive but underutilized. Most actors are sidelined or given lackluster roles.

The visual effects are also feel low quality and literally bad.

Prabhas shines in his scenes, but his entry comes only after two hours, by which point the film has already dragged. The first two hours feel bloated and could easily have been condensed into 40-50 minutes to maintain momentum.

Last 30 minutes are absolutely best but it could be way more better.

Ultimately, Kannappa fails as a family-friendly devotional or mythological film due to its inappropriate content and lackluster execution. I wouldn't recommend it for those seeking a meaningful cinematic experience.

Despite big names like Prabhas and several cameo appearances, the film fails to impress. The choreography lacked impact, and the story narration felt disjointed with no emotional depth or standout moments. Cameos seemed forced and underutilized, adding little to the plot. Even Prabhas's role was not well-developed, missing the powerful presence he's known for. Weak presentation, poor pacing, and inconsistent visuals further hurt the experience. Overall, it was a disappointing watch, earning just 4 out of 10-saved only by the excitement of the cameo characters. It's better for a call to manchu family can stop acting in the movies and start the production to make better career in the industry.

Oh Kannappa - a film so ambitious, it tried to shoot for the stars... and tripped over its own script on the way out the door.

From the moment the movie opens with a slow-mo shot of our hero walking through CGI smoke that looked like expired incense, you just know you're in for a ride - not a good one, more like getting stuck on a rickety Ferris wheel operated by someone who just discovered Adobe After Effects.

The acting? Breathtaking. As in, it literally left us breathless trying not to laugh during every melodramatic pause. Our divine hero emotes like he's solving a tough math problem instead of receiving celestial visions. The villain? A growling man in eyeliner who seems to have escaped from a rejected Marvel audition.

The dialogues are written with the elegance of a 5th grader trying to be deep. Gems like "I will worship the God... with my soul... and my left eyeball" had the audience torn between awe and aneurysm.

The VFX budget clearly went into renting the latest version of PowerPoint. Mountains float awkwardly, divine auras flicker like dying tube lights, and Shiva himself appears to be made of leftover Thanos particles.

The background score? Imagine a temple bell, a spaceship launch, and a goat bleating - all at once. Inspirational, confusing, and migraine-inducing.

And let's not forget the climax, where Kannappa literally pokes his eye out for devotion - a powerful moment, unfortunately ruined by a slow-motion zoom so long, I aged 3 years watching it.

Honestly, Kannappa isn't just a movie. It's a test. A test of patience, faith, and your ability to keep a straight face while the sacred and the absurd battle it out on-screen.

This review is actually from ChatGPT.

This movie is great-like, unbelievably great. You'll totally get it once you watch it... or maybe you won't. We already know the story, but don't worry-they've managed to throw in some "surprises" that'll leave you shocked...

The screenplay? Oh, it's full of mind-blowing stuff-so much that your brain might just shut down to protect itself. Some scenes really make you wonder what the writers were thinking-or smoking.

The locations and costumes? Out of this world! Literally, like someone hit random on a Pinterest mood board. And the actors? They fit into their roles so perfectly... like a fork in a bowl of soup.

Manchu Vishnu in the lead? Absolutely fantastic. Truly a performance for the ages. Oscars, beware.

Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva isn't silly at all, no matter what people say. It's perfect... in some alternate universe. Kajal is cute and sexy.

Everyone else did okay-except Prabhas. Poor guy looks completely lost, and next to Manchu Vishnu (the star of the decade), he just fades into the background. Maybe they should've gone for someone more famous.

The last 40 minutes? An experience, no doubt. You'll either laugh, cry, or leave.

So yes, go watch it. Especially if you enjoy dark humor... or just want to test your emotional strength. God bless you and good luck.

A great cast, a poor screenplay and a disastrous storyline is what brings Kanappa together.

The future generation of Manchu family (Vishnu's kuds) are introduced in the first 10 minutes. Sharat kumar, Mohanlal, Brahmanandam could have done better roles.

The casting is a big minus. Especially Akshay Kumar for Shiva, Vishnu for Thinnada

The direction was oppressed by the senior actors esp Mohan babu, when his character wins some sense until Prabhas/Rudra comes to the screen. Acting is surely an understatement.

The movie flatters boredom right from the start as the script lacked conviction. It was more a natural tour of New Zealand.

Srikalahasti is a legendary tale, they should have focused more on that. But when amateur directors are welcomed, this is what we get best.