Kannappa is the dream project of Vishnu Manchu, which is set to hit the big screen on June 27, 2025. For the uninitiated, Kannappa is a Telugu language devotional film starring Vishnu Manchu in the lead role, along with a star cast that includes Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Akshay Kumar in cameo roles. The mythological epic drama centres on devotion to Lord Shiva and embodies the essence of Sanatan Dharma. As anticipation for the theatrical release of Kannappa builds, here are the early reviews of the film.

Famous screenwriter, Kona Venkat loved Vishnu Manchu’s Kannappa and shared his reviews

Taking to his X handle (formerly Twitter), popular screenwriter, Kona Venkat, praised the performances of Vishnu Manchu, Prabhas and Mohan Babu. For the unversed, along with Vishnu Manchu in the lead, Kannappa also has a supporting cast including Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpt Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji and many more. Kona Venkat specially mentioned the second half of the movie, which had so many wow moments. In his words:

“I too had the Privilege and the Opportunity to watch “KANNAPPA” and I am truly impressed by the content!! There are so so many WOW moments in the second half. Especially the last half hour is truly captivating and mesmerising. The presence of #Prabhas‌ made huge impact in the movie. Every audience would definitely talk about @iVishnuManchu‘s performance in the last 20 minutes @themohanbabu garu’s performance too would be talked about for many years. I really hope that Kannappa” works big time at Box office and would help the industry during this tough times!! #HaharaMahadev #KannappaOnJune27th”

Netizens’ reaction to Vishnu Manchu starrer, Kannappa

Netizens gave mixed reaction when it came to VFX of the film, Kannappa. Praising the VFX, one user wrote, “Kanappa is a mythological entertainment package with stunning visuals and BGM. The climax is the best part of the film. Vishnu Manchu, Akshay Kumar, Mohan Babu, and Prabhas are all good. Overall the film is worth watching.” Sharing a different perspective on VFX, another user wrote, “Kannappa is visually grand with a powerful mythological core. Prabhas, Mohanlal and Akshay Kumar shine in cameos, and Rajinikanth’s praise speaks volumes. But some VFX scenes fall flat, and the pacing drags in parts.” Giving an overview of the film, one user wrote:

“#KannappaReview Vishnu Manchu delivers his career-best performance. Prabhas cameo = Goosebumps overload. Mohanlal’s character is a big surprise. BGM & elevations are top-class. Climax is pure emotion – will leave you in tears. BLOCKBUSTER LOADING 3.5/5.”

An interesting fact about Vishnu Manchu’s dream project, Kannappa

In a recent interview with SCREEN, Vishnu revealed that Mohanlal and Prabhas, who will appear in cameo roles in Kannappa, are not charging a penny.  He shared how South superstar, Mohanlal, agreed to his dream project due to his love and respect for Mohan Babu, the father of Vishnu Manchu. In fact, Vishnu predicted that his Rs. 200 crore budget film might not do well at the box office, but since he wanted to make the project based on devotion towards Lord Shiva, he approached Mohanlal and Prabhas, as they had a huge fan base. Vishnu also shared how the duo refused to accept money when he offered it to them. In his words:

“They would yell at me! Mohanlal said, ‘You grew up around me and now you’re offering me money?’ Prabhas even threatened to kill me if I ever mentioned fees again.”

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The Oscars’ voting body is growing again with a glittering list of new recruits that includes pop superstar Ariana Grande, newly minted Oscar-winner Kieran Culkin and late-night veterans — and past Oscar hosts — Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O’Brien.

On Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced it had invited 534 new members across its 19 branches. This year’s class includes Oscar nominees, below-the-line craftspeople and rising international voices — among them “Wicked” star Grande; “Succession” actor Culkin, who won the supporting actor Oscar for “A Real Pain”; and late-night hosts Kimmel, a four-time Oscar emcee, and O’Brien, who hosted the ceremony for the first time this year. In all, the group features 91 Oscar nominees and 26 winners, including Mikey Madison, who took the lead actress Oscar for the best picture winner “Anora.” Madison’s co-stars Yura Borisov and Karren Karagulian were also invited to the actors’ branch.

The latest invitations reflect the academy’s ongoing push for greater inclusion, even after meeting its post-#OscarsSoWhite diversity benchmarks. Of the 2025 class, 41% identify as women, 45% as members of underrepresented ethnic or racial communities and 55% are from outside the United States. Across the total membership, 35% identify as women, 22% as members of underrepresented groups and 21% are based internationally.

After years of rapid expansion — peaking with a record-setting incoming class of 928 in 2018 — the academy has shifted toward more sustainable growth. Still, this year’s tally represents a modest increase over last year’s 487 invitees.

Other additions to the acting branch — the academy’s largest — include “The Apprentice” co-stars Jeremy Strong and Sebastian Stan, who drew nominations for their portrayals of Roy Cohn and Donald Trump, respectively, in the controversial biopic, along with supporting actress nominee Monica Barbaro (“A Complete Unknown”), Aubrey Plaza, Jason Momoa, Jodie Comer, Dave Bautista and “Emilia Pérez” star Adriana Paz. (Notably, “Emilia Pérez” lead Karla Sofía Gascón, who made history this year as the first openly transgender performer nominated in the lead acting category, did not receive an invitation — a decision that follows backlash over past controversial remarks.)

New recruits to the directors branch include this year’s nominees Coralie Fargeat (“The Substance”) and Brady Corbet (“The Brutalist”), as well as Gints Zilbalodis, who directed the Oscar-winning animated feature “Flow.” Invitees in the documentary branch include the team behind this year’s Oscar-winning “No Other Land”: Israeli and Palestinian filmmakers Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor.

“We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists and professionals to join the Academy,” academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang said in a joint statement. “Through their commitment to filmmaking and to the greater movie industry, these exceptionally talented individuals have made indelible contributions to our global filmmaking community.”

If all invitations are accepted, the academy’s total membership will rise to 11,120, including 10,143 voting members.