Kannappa first review out: Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal have 'fantastic' cameos but Vishnu Manchu film suffers from...

Based on the legend of Lord Shiva's staunch devotee Kannappa, the pan-India mythological action drama Kannappa is set to release in cinemas on June 27. The film features Vishnu Manchu in the titular role with pan-India superstars Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal playing special cameos. Ahead of its release, the film trade analyst Sumit Kadel has shared the review of Kannappa on his X (formerly Twitter) account, in which he has said that the mythological drama suffers from its slow pace, but the last 30 minutes will remind the audiences of the 2022 pan-India blockbuster Kantara.

Sumit Kadel reviews Kannappa

Sumit wrote, "Kanappa Rating - 3.5. Just watched #Kanappa, and I still can’t shake off the last 30 minutes from my mind. The only time I’ve felt something this intense was during the climax of Kantara. Audiences - especially devotees of Lord Shiva will be left in tears. The climax is spine-chilling, emotionally overpowering and goosebumps inducing. The film is based on the true story of a warrior who fought for his people and tribe but didn’t believe in God  and how he eventually becomes the greatest devotee of Lord Shiva. You’ll witness this transformation unfold on screen. The film is long and the first half suffers due to its slow pace."

Vishnu Manchu's best performance in Kannappa

Heaping praises on Vishnu Manchu's "top-notch" performance and "fantastic" cameos from Prabhas and Mohanlal, he further added, "But the interval block, terrific Mohanlal’s sequence, Prabhas' fantastic cameo, and above all, the climax, take the film to another level altogether. Vishnu Manchu was born to play Kanappa. His performance is top-notch - he pours his soul into both the action and emotional scenes, and it shows on the big screen. His acting in the last 15 minutes could define his career, the audience will shower immense love on this role."

Akshay Kumar plays Lord Shiva in Kannappa

Concluding his thoughts, Sumit also lauded Akshay Kumar and Kajal Aggarwal's cameos as he stated, "Akshay Kumar embodies Lord Shiva with sheer perfection,radiating divine aura and purity that leaves a lasting impact. Kajal Aggarwal as Maa Parvati is graceful and emotionally resonant, while Mohan Babu delivers a superlative performance. Overall, Kanappa is a good film. The slow pace and modest production values are its weak points, but the last 40 minutes featuring Vishnu Manchu's memorable performance, along with Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva, and Prabhas as Rudra, make it worth watching."

#KanappaReview

Rating - ( 3.5 )

Just watched #Kanappa, and I still can’t shake off the last 30 minutes from my mind. The only time I’ve felt something this intense was during the climax of #Kantara. Audiences - especially devotees of Lord Shiva will be left in tears.… pic.twitter.com/MqPUdW9KVq

— Sumit Kadel (@SumitkadeI) June 25, 2025

Kannappa also features Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, Preity Mukhundhan and Madhoo in key supporting roles. The film is directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by Vishnu Manchu's father Mohan Babu.

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