Popular Tollywood actor-producer Manchu Vishnu is leaving no stone unturned to make his upcoming mythological magnum opus, Kannappa, the go-to choice for movie lovers. Also starring pan-India star Prabhas, Malayalam stalwart Mohanlal, leading Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, star heroine Kajal Aggarwal, and others in prominent roles, the film is gearing up for its theatrical release on June 27.
In a recent interview with the Times of India while promoting Kannappa, Akshay Kumar, who plays Lord Shiva in Kannappa, was all praise for the Manchu actor. “Vishnu Manchu ‘lived and breathed’ Kannappa: He spent nearly two hours explaining it to me. I’ve seen Vishnu in action—not just as the lead actor but as someone completely immersed in the soul of the film. He was acting, coordinating things on set, and even helping with the background and props when needed. At times, he felt like an art director too. He’s that hands-on,” Akshay said, heaping praise on his colleague.
Akshay went on to say that Vishnu spent nearly two hours explaining a particular sequence—barely six or seven minutes on screen—but he explained it to me in detail. I understood it early on, but he kept going because that’s how passionate he is. You rarely see an actor put themselves into a role with this much energy and heart. “He’s truly lived and breathed Kannappa,” he concluded.