Kannappa Movie Review: Stopping a few moments, this grand retailing of a devotional story lacks soul

At one point, well in the second hour of the Telugu film KannappaPrabhas appears on the screen as the deity Rudra. Their extended cameo includes lines that dodge the image of their larger life-one also refers to endless speculation around their graduation. These ‘meta’ touch deliberately serve as fan service, otherwise injected the energy into uneven narratives.

It is a matter of shame, because KannappaUnder the leadership of Vishnu Manchu, the devotional legend for contemporary audiences is set with the most important ambition to resume. Inherent in folklore, the story follows Thinna, an atheist hunter is considered to be the rebirth of Arjuna, who turns into a devout follower of Lord Shiva. In a final work of faith, he provides his eyes to the deity, earning the name Kannappa.

Kannappa’s story has caught Bapu’s reverence in the 1976 film Telugu screen. Devotee KannappaIn which Krishnam Raju-Chacha was acted for Prabhas, who creates a very much promoted cameo in this new retailing. The cinema of the region is not a stranger for devotional plays; The past has explained the audience with both grand and emotional integrity, depicting them deeply in the spiritual journey of their hero.

In contrast, the origin of Kannappa (2025) A pan-Indian spectacle is overwhelmed by its ambition to stage. The names of the big-ticke of industries-Akshay Kumar and Kajal Aggarwal have been employed in Camos extended as Shiva and Parvati, Mohanlal and Prabhas, but their presence is very low to enrich the story.

The film follows Thinna (Vishnu Manchu), who is a tribal hunter who renounces faith after childhood trauma. His disillusionment with blind rituals is a subject that presents ideas-elastic questions about the performance of devotion, intermittently. But the way these threads begin to hang on the curiosity of the audience, especially through the sporadic divine reactions from Shiva and Parvati, the film retreats, no deep inquiries. Instead, it honors Thinna’s change in Shiva’s most enthusiastic devotee to find out the change.

More Kannappa One succulent, the second century landscape has been shot in New Zealand in an attempt to rebuild. While being visually impressive in parts, this setting often feels disorganized from the cultural and emotional terrain of the story. Tribal clashes, especially with Kalamukh clan, borrow a lot of aesthetics Bahubali Kalkeya warriors – feel derived and weak in comparison.

This brings us to a big problem- in the post-Bahubali Yuga, it is not enough to grow up. SS Rajamouli’s films are not due to the scale alone, but because they echoed the spectacle – tight screenplay, innovative action sequences and emotional bets. In KannappaThe pieces of action sets are clouken, and visual effects are often distracted instead of dazzle.

Below the bloated surface of the film, however, the real story is flicker of promises. Thinna and his father (Sarath Kumar) gives a glimpse of Pathos, and his yearning for his late mother. A warrior princess and Shiva devotee, Nemali (Preeti Mukundan) also had the ability to have ability in relation to him. Prithi has a striking appearance, but her character decreases for decorative appeal after a brief flash of swordplay and a couple of high-glam songs.

The film briefly examines the opposite of Mahadev Shastri’s (Mohan Babu) orthodox worship – complete with silks and flowers – and more terrorist forms of Thinna’s worship, offer meat from their prey. This is an important legend pivot that can add depth to devotion, but it comes very late and resolves very quickly for any real effect.

With a contingent of a huge artists, with veterans like Madhu, Brahminandam, Sapathgiri, Brahmaji, Mukesh Rishi and Aishwariya Bhaskaran, the film has been overpopped and reduced. Of these, only Sarath Kumar and Mohan Babu leave a permanent impression. Vishnu Manchu sets his foot in emotional climax, but till then, much has already been lost.

At the end, Kannappa There was a moving legend to build – a story of unwavering faith and sacrifice. But whatever was needed was not more star power or visual gloss, but the storytelling was contained in emotional clarity and cultural texture. In trying for grandeur, it forgets to tell the story that matters.

Kannappa is currently running in theaters

Published – June 27, 2025 03:23 pm IST