Vishnu denies hurting Brahmin community in Kannappa

The team behind the upcoming mythological epic “Kannappa,” starring Vishnu Manchu, has strongly refuted allegations of incorporating dialogues or scenes that disrespect the Brahmin community.

Dialogue writer Akella Siva Prasad, a Brahmin himself, clarified, “I’m a Brahmin, and the director Mukesh Kumar Singh is also a Brahmin from North India. There is no scene in Kannappa that insults Brahmins or any other community.”

The controversy

The controversy arose due to objections from some Brahmin groups over the portrayal of two comic characters, Pilaka and Gilaka, played by Brahmanandam and Saptagiri, respectively, which were perceived by some as mocking Brahmin culture. Addressing these concerns, the team emphasized that the film was crafted with reverence for Hindu traditions and Lord Shiva, with major scenes filmed after seeking blessings from priests at the Sri Kalahasti temple, who also praised the film after a special screening.

Vishnu Manchu, the film’s lead actor and producer, further reassured audiences that Kannappa respects all communities and is a devotional saga rooted in Hindu mythology. The film, set for a grand multilingual release on June 27, 2025, features a stellar cast, including Mohan Babu as Mahadeva Sastri, a respected priest character inspired by the 16th-century Sri Kalahasti Mahatyam, alongside cameos by Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, and Prabhas.

The Letter

Manchu Vishnu’s dialogue writer pens letter and clarifies further.

Namaskaram to all Telugu cinema lovers, to people of all communities, and especially to my Brahmin friends…!

As someone who worked as the dialogue writer for the film Kannappa, it deeply pains me to witness the ongoing malicious propaganda surrounding the movie, particularly targeting its intentions and portrayal. I feel compelled to share a few thoughts from my heart.

My name is Akella Siva Prasad, and I am a Brahmin. The film Kannappa was directed by Sri Mukesh Kumar Singh, who is also a Brahmin hailing from North India, a highly respected director known for his exceptional work on mythological television series such as Mahabharat. At no point in this film are Brahmins or people of any caste disrespected or shown in a negative light.

If we look at past films based on the legend of Kannappa, such as Sri Kalahasti Mahatyam featuring Kannada legend Dr. Rajkumar, and Bhakta Kannappa starring Sri Krishnam Raju Garu — both depicted the temple priest, Mahadev Shastri (played by Sri Mudigonda Lingamurthy in the former and Sri Rao Gopal Rao in the latter), as someone who secretly gives the deity’s ornaments to his concubine.

In contrast, in the Kannappa film, Sri Vishnu Manchu Garu, who not only played the lead role but also contributed to the story, chose to elevate the character of Mahadev Shastri (played by Sri Mohan Babu Garu) as a noble and devout Shaivite, based on the 16th-century literary work Sri Kalahasti Mahatyam authored by Dhurtjati. Audiences will clearly understand this respectful portrayal after watching the film.

Furthermore, not just during the writing phase but even after the film’s completion, the makers showed the film to the chief priests of the sacred Sri Kalahasti temple, who deeply appreciated it and offered blessings with Vedic chants to both Sri Mohan Babu Garu and Sri Vishnu Garu.

Also worth noting is that several Brahmins contributed to the film in various departments — including renowned lyricist Sri Ramajogayya Sastry Garu, who penned one of the songs.

Let me emphasize — no one would spend crores of rupees, endure immense hardships, and go to such lengths to create a film just to disrespect any community. Lastly, Kannappa has not even been released yet. Those spreading baseless rumors and misinformation — may Lord Shiva himself deal with them.