Kannappa Review : Delivers Devotion Amidst Uneven Execution

Kannappa is produced by Dr. Mohan Babu. The big-ticket pan-Indian release has been padded with high-profile cameos. Does the film offer any unexpected elements? Is it worth a watch? Let’s find out.

Telugu Funda’s reveal of the basic plot:

Way back in the 2nd century AD, Thinnadu (Vishnu Manchu), a tribal hunter driven by primal instinct, scoffs at the idea of gods. An incident during his childhood makes him believe that god is a superstition. His world knows no divine spark—until he uncovers a hidden Shiva lingam (known as the Vayu Lingam), kept away from everyone’s sight by an arrogant devotee. A series of events push Thinnadu to surrender to God. How does this rugged warrior’s heart bend toward the divine? And what role does Rudra (Prabhas), a mystic figure radiating the essence of Lord Shiva himself, play in this transformation?

Telugu Funda’s take on the performances:

1. The main cast: Manchu Vishnu is decent, especially in the second half. Playing commercial roles over many years might have blunted his appeal, but he is good as Kannappa/Thinnadu. Preity Mukundan, as his GF-turned-wife Nemali, doesn’t look the part. She comes across as a version of Kareena Kapoor from SRK’s Ashoka The Great.
2. Secondary cast: Mohan Babu gets more screen time than what the trailer had hinted at. As a self-important Shiva devotee named Mahadeva Sastry, he is above average. Arpit Ranka and Madhubala play a negative character and a fierce matriarch, respectively. The former’s performance is watered down by the cardboard-ish characterization.
3. Top-notch cameos: Prabhas is very good in a divine character that talks less and makes others think more. While the makers claimed his role to last more than 30 minutes, the truth is that it lasts just about 21 minutes (if you don’t include the frames he is not seen in). Mohanlal’s cameo is ineffective. The interval bang would have been out of the ordinary had his cameo been used properly. Akshay Kumar, as Lord Shiva, looks more like a TV serial God than a cinema God.
4. Other cameos/bit roles: Kajal Aggarwal, as Parvathi Devi, is a cliched character. Mukesh Rishi, Kaushal Manda, Shiva Balaji, Brahmanandam and many others barely register. Avram Manchu, as the young Thinnadu, is a total miscast. The kid’s Anglicized Telugu is a big minus in the initial portions.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Technical Output:

1. The music: Stephen Devassy’s background score choices are not justified. He should have followed the commonsensical path of an MM Keeravani. The songs are good.
2. The cinematography: The locations are spread over a vast area. But since the scale is not huge (in terms of the number of junior artists seen), the visuals feel low-stakes.
3. Costumes and other aspects: The film feels like a generic costume drama rather than a tribal story taking place 2000 years ago. Mohanlal’s get-up is so mundane that it strips him of all the divine aura. Similar complaints can be laid at the doorsteps of others’ looks.
4. Overall production values: The rumoured budget of Rs 200 Cr is not evident. The battle scenes/clashes are dull.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Merits:

1. Prabhas’ character is not an insignificant cameo. If he disappointed you as Adipurush, he comes across as better-utilized here.
2. The portions where Thinnadu is ‘reborn’ as Kannappa are well-written and executed.

Telugu Funda’s take on the Demerits:

1. The lack of unexpected elements is the least of the film’s problems. Even when a whole hamlet faces an existential crisis, the characters barely seem to be anxious.
2. The action episodes are outdated, with no highs. In a short-lived scene, a young kid eliminates a raging tiger in two seconds flat. You don’t feel the intended impact even for a nano-second.
3. The three-hour run-time is unjustified. The Love Song can be trimmed. Some portions involving Vishnu and Preity can be done away with.
4. Many dialogues are old-fashioned. They exist just because those scenes/moments existed in devotional and mythological films in the black-and-white era.

Telugu Funda’s Verdict:

Kannappa is a film with a compelling core story of devotion, particularly shining in its second half and the impactful “reborn as Kannappa” sequence. However, the film is significantly hampered by a sluggish first half, outdated action, inconsistent technical output (especially regarding VFX and production values not matching the rumored budget), and an overlong runtime.

Rating: 2.5

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