Silence has turned into noise, and this time, it’s not from the box office buzz. Manchu Vishnu’s upcoming mythological drama Kannappa has found itself in a swirl of controversy even before its release.
The film, helmed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and backed by an ensemble cast featuring Prabhas, Mohan Babu, Mohanlal, Nayanthara, and Shivaraj Kumar, was building solid anticipation. But now, it’s facing backlash after a character poster stirred up unexpected outrage.
The newly revealed poster, featuring comedian Saptagiri and the previously introduced comic character ‘Pilaka Gilaka’ played by Brahmanandam, has gone viral, but not entirely for the right reasons. Several members of the Brahmin community, including Brahmana Chaitanya Vedika state president Siripurapu Sridhar Sharma, have publicly objected to the portrayal, calling it disrespectful to their culture and traditions. In a media interaction at Guntur, Sharma called on Mohan Babu and Vishnu to issue a clarification regarding the portrayal of Brahmins in the film.
This isn’t the first time the Manchu camp has faced heat over such concerns. Sharma recalled a past incident involving the film Ready for Anything, where legal action was taken and the High Court ordered the removal of certain scenes that were deemed offensive to the Brahmin community. With Kannappa, the protest seems to be heading in a similar direction, though it remains to be seen whether formal complaints will follow or if the makers will preemptively respond.
The film may have global stars and a mythological canvas, but controversies like these have the power to distract from the bigger picture. Whether Kannappa can move past this turbulence or whether it’s the beginning of a wider conflict remains to be seen. For now, the spotlight has shifted from the film’s teaser to the voices demanding cultural accountability.