In Akshay Kumar’s character ‘Kannappa’ on Vishnu Manchu: ‘I think it is Lord Shiva who chose him’. Hindi film news
Vishnu Manchu is set to release his much awaited film ‘Kannappa’ on 27 June 2025. The film, which features stars like Preity Mukherjee, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal and Kajal Aggarwal, will be available in many Indian languages. Next to the launch, Vishnu and Akshay appeared together in an interview to promote their devotional fantasy-action film.Akshay Kumar: The right choice for Lord ShivaIn his interview with Pinkvilla, Vishnu revealed that while writing the script, Akshay was the only actor he had imagined for the role of Lord Shiva. He felt that Akshay’s facial features, condemnable, and overall appearance gave the character a perfectly embodiment, making him an ideal choice for the part.Divine approval behind casting decisionHe further said, “Many people used to ask me if I am sure about Shri Akshay Kumar. I said that he is the only man I can think about. But I am speaking spiritually, I think it is Lord Shiva who chose him to play this character and not me. I could only propose. I got approval from Lord Shiva”.Challenges to paint devotional charactersManchu discussed the challenges of playing a divine role, given that such characters are less common in the Hindi film industry, but often in South Indian cinema, the Ramayana, Mahabharata and other devotional topics are depicted through stories based on subjects. He believes that a Destiny is required to portray these roles, explaining that as soon as he was fixed to play the role of Kannappa, it was the blessings of Lord Shiva that Akshay Kumar was chosen to play the role of Lord Shiva.Akshay Kumar as the face of Lord Shiva for a new generationHe also emphasized that for the present generation, Akshay is a definite representation of Lord Shiva. Kumar expressed that he feels very lucky and strong that it has been chosen for such a role, accepting that the opportunities to portray divine figures like Lord Krishna or Lord Shiva are rare. He also highlighted the success of the film, considering himself to be one of the most lucky people due to this experience.Release details for ‘Kannappa’‘Kannappa’ is set to hit theaters on June 27, 2025, released with films with ‘Ma’ and ‘F1’. Multi-starrer Telugu fantasy-action film, including Vishnu Manchu, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal, Preeti Mukhunandan and Kajal Aggarwal, will be available in many Indian languages.
