Kannappa's first review comes from Rajinikanth; Vishnu Manchu and Mohan Babu reveal what the superstar said about film

Vishnu Manchu's much-anticipated film Kannappa, will be released on June 27. Producer Mohan Babu shares heartwarming reactions from Rajinikanth.

Vishnu Manchu’s much-anticipated Telugu film Kannappa is set to hit theatres next week. Ahead of its release, producer Mohan Babu took to social media to share that his best friend and superstar Rajinikanth watched the film with his family—and revealed the actor’s heartwarming reaction. (Also Read: Rajinikanth says Indian youth are ‘immersed in Western culture’ while Westerners find peace in ‘meditation’)

Rajinikanth reviews Vishnu Manchu and Mohan Babu's Kannappa.

Mohan Babu shared pictures with Rajinikanth, celebrating their film Pedarayudu completing 30 years, and wrote on X, "On June 15, Pedarayudu completed 30 glorious years since its theatrical release. And on the same day, my best friend @rajinikanth watched #Kannappa along with his family. The love, warmth, and encouragement he gave after the film is something I will never forget. Thank you, Mitrama."

Rajinikanth reviews Kannappa

Mohan Babu's son and Kannappa’s lead actor Vishnu Manchu also shared pictures with Rajinikanth and revealed his reaction to the film. He wrote, "Last night, @rajinikanth uncle watched #Kannappa. After the film, he gave me a tight hug. He told me that he loved #Kannappa. I’ve been waiting 22 years as an actor for that hug! Today, I feel encouraged. Humbled. Grateful. #Kannappa is coming on 27th June and I can’t wait for the world to feel the magic of Lord Shiva. #HarHarMahadev."

About Kannappa

The mythological fantasy thriller is based on the legend of Kannappa, a devoted follower of Lord Shiva in Hinduism. The film stars Vishnu Manchu in the titular role alongside Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, and Madhoo, among others. It also features star-studded cameos—Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva, Mohanlal as Kirata, Prabhas as Rudra, and Kajal Aggarwal as Goddess Parvati. The film is set to release in theatres on 27th June.

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Vishnu Manchu revealed that Kannappa merges traditional Indian storytelling with a Lord of the Rings (LOTR)-inspired visual scale. He said, "I’ve seen the Telugu version of the 1976 film Bhakta Kannappa many times, and in 2015, when director Tanikella Bharani told me the story he had, I was keen. We worked on the script for several months, after which he said he wasn’t the right person to direct the film, as my vision was to produce it on a large, lavish scale. He was more comfortable making smaller films. So, I bought the rights and decided to produce it. I loved Lord of The Rings and wondered if I could incorporate the story I grew up with and that epic, global outlook."