Dynamic Star Vishnu Manchu’s magnum opus Kannappa is all set for a grand release in just a couple of days. Ahead of the release, actor Shiva Balaji, who plays an important role as Kumaradeva Sastry, interacted with the media to share some intriguing insights.

*How did your journey with Kannappa begin?*
It all started quite casually. Mohan Babu garu, Vishnu, and I were having lunch at the same office. The New Zealand shoot was already locked in, and most of the lead cast had been finalized. During the conversation, Mohan Babu garu asked Vishnu, “Why isn’t there a role for Shiva Balaji?” Vishnu replied that there wasn’t much scope for me to have a substantial role in the story. But Mohan Babu garu was adamant.

The next day, while we were discussing further, he told me, “You do have a role. I’m playing Mahadeva Sastry, and you’re my son, Kumaradeva Sastry.” That’s how it began for me.

*What kind of preparation went into your character?*
Honestly, I didn’t do much in terms of external references. Since I was playing Mohan Babu garu’s son, I simply mirrored his demeanor. His character is extremely strict, so much so that he doesn’t even like being touched by his own son. I carried forward that personality trait in the next generation. It’s not explicitly stated in the film, but that’s the character’s emotional undercurrent.

*Can you tell us about your role in the film?*
It’s a supporting yet impactful role. The film features different factions—Thinnadu, Mahadeva Sastry’s lineage, and the Boya community. Access to the sacred Vayu Lingam is restricted, and only Mahadeva Sastry has the access. Even his son is not allowed. My character is well-written and I shared considerable screen space with Mohan Babu garu.

*You’ve not been doing many films lately. Why is that?*
I’ve been listening to scripts, but I’m quite selective now. If a story doesn’t resonate with me, I simply pass. I’m only looking to do roles that offer solid scope for performance.

*Have you watched the film? What’s your feedback?*
Yes, I’ve seen it. Kannappa is an extraordinary film. The second half, in particular, will leave a huge impact. It’s very emotionally and visually powerful.

*How significant is Prabhas’ role in the film?*
Prabhas appears for a good 40 minutes in the film. His presence leaves a strong impression. From his entry to the end, his scenes are very engaging. Vishnu gave him a well-written and well-executed role.

*What about other major characters in the film?*
Every character holds significance. Once Mohanlal enters, the story takes a different turn. Prabhas’ entry changes the pace again. Akshay Kumar’s portrayal of Lord Shiva is especially noteworthy—his dialogues are powerful yet simple and easy to grasp.

*Devotional films have been trending for the past couple of years. What can we expect from Kannappa?*
Expect many high moments and goosebump-inducing sequences. It’s not just a film; it’s a spiritual experience.

*How was working with Mohan Babu garu off-screen?*
He’s very different off-camera—warm and caring. He treats us like family. I actually grew closer to Vishnu during the MAA elections, even though I had met him a couple of times before.

*Did you accept the role mainly because of Mohan Babu garu?*
To be honest, I thought about it for two days before accepting. I’ve become very choosy lately. I even asked Vishnu directly if it would feel like I was being pushed into the film. He said it’s totally my call, but also told me I’d have a better role in his next. I spoke to my wife Madhu about it, and she said it was up to me. In the end, I’m glad I said yes—missing out on this film would’ve been a big regret.

*Did you contribute to the production side as well?*
I was keen on helping with the food arrangements. We even brought a chef along. I helped wherever I could.

*There were rumors that Mohan Babu bought 7000 acres in New Zealand. Is that true?*
That was just a joke! They leased about 7000 acres in Rotorua, in New Zealand’s North Island, for the shoot. We had a guest house there too. Some parts of the second half were shot in Wanaka, South Island. One day, while we were cooking dinner, on both mine and Vishnu’s wedding anniversaries, Mohan Babu jokingly said he owned the land. Later, he clarified on it.

*OTT platforms are seeing a surge in senior actors. Are you open to OTT content?*
Definitely. After Recce, I haven’t taken up another OTT project, but I’m planning to come back with Recce 2 soon.

*What’s your view on how Bigg Boss has evolved?*
Honestly, I’m not a fan of the current format. When we did it, it felt more genuine. Now, it feels pre-designed. After Bigg Boss, I had a strong fan base. I stayed in the house for three months, then did interviews right after.

*How was it working with director Mukesh Kumar Singh?*
He’s one of the most polite directors I’ve worked with. He’s passionate about history, enjoys travel, and loves trying vegetarian food. He handled Kannappa very well. His collaboration with Vishnu really worked out.

*Your bond with Vishnu seems strong. Can you elaborate?*
The Vishnu you see on social media is just one side of him. In reality, he’s very cool person. Coming to Kannappa, he took care of every aspect of the production with great attention.

*Do you think social media influencers are impacting society negatively?*
Yes, negativity is spreading quickly through influencers. It’s affecting not just celebrities but also common people.

*There were talks of objectionable scenes in the film. What’s your take?*
Nothing was truly objectionable. But out of respect for everyone, we decided to remove those particular dialogues.

*How is Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva?*
There was a lot of debate about who should play Lord Shiva. Initially, Prabhas was considered. After discussions, Prabhas took on a different role. When Akshay Kumar came on board, he just fit the part perfectly. He looked divine on screen and did full justice to the role.

*What’s your next project?*
I’m working on a thriller produced by Mohan Babu garu. It’s being directed by a Tamil filmmaker. More details will be revealed soon.

On Wednesday, Sudheer Babu unveiled the teaser for “Police Vaari Hecharika,” a film produced by Belli Janardhan under the Thulika Thanishk Creations banner and directed by Babji.

Speaking on the occasion, Babji said, “Whenever I made a film, I used to have at least one event related to it inaugurated by Krishna Garu. Now that Krishna Garu is not physically with us, I felt a void because I couldn’t have even a single event for this film inaugurated by him. That void has now been filled with Sudheer Babu Garu releasing this teaser.”

The film’s cast includes Sunny Akhil, Ajay Ghosh, Ravi Kale, Sayaji Shinde, Shubhalekha Sudhakar, Kashi Vishwanath, Jabardasth Vinod, Jabardasth Pawan, Jabardasth Santhi Swaroop, Himaja, Shankarabharanam Tulasi, Jayavahini, and Meghna Khushi, among others.
Music: Gajwel Venu
Cinematography: Kishan Sagar, Nalini Kanth
Editor: Siva Sarvani

Bhoo Porata Samithi Convener
Senior Member Ramesh

Senior member of the Telugu Cine & TV Costumers Union and leader of the Bhoo Porata Samithi, Mr. Ramesh, has appealed to “Stop the exploitation by the leaders of the Telugu Cine & TV Costumers Union.”

Speaking to the media, he said:

“In 2017, the leaders of the Telugu Cine & TV Costumers Union collected money from 330 union members with the promise of purchasing land for them. They entered into an agreement for 20 acres, paid money for 16 acres 36 guntas, but registered only 13 acres 12 guntas in the members’ names. Now, they are claiming that most of the land is gone and only 7 acres 2 guntas are remaining. They handed over this remaining land to a developer named Suresh for development, entering into agreements in such a way that deceives the members.

For the past 8 years, the leaders have been continuously cheating the members by not allotting the promised land. Unfortunately, 25 of our members have already passed away, still waiting for their rightful land.

To bring our issue to the notice of the government, we organized a protest at Indira Park, Dharna Chowk on Sunday (15-06-2025).

We will continue our fight until all our members get justice and the promised land is given to us,” said Mr. Ramesh!!

Senior actor Murali Mohan and actress Amani play the lead roles in the upcoming film “Andhrula Annapurna Dokka Seethamma”, produced by Valluri Rambabu and Matta Srinivas under the Usha Rani Movies banner. The film is directed by T.V. Ravi Narayan, with Rahul Srivatsav handling cinematography, Karthik Kodakandla composing the music, and M. Ravi Kumar serving as art director. The title poster released earlier drew positive attention, and now, to mark Murali Mohan’s birthday, a special poster and glimpse have been unveiled.

*At the event, Murali Mohan shared his thoughts:* “I usually celebrate my birthdays in ashrams, among the differently abled, the elderly, and orphans. Today, I was scheduled to visit a home for the visually impaired, but the Dokka Seethamma team requested me to come over for half an hour, so I obliged. I’m grateful to these producers, though they’re small-scale, for celebrating my birthday in such a meaningful way.

I have fond memories of my association with Relangi Garu. Rama Satyanarayana Garu has always stood by many filmmakers. Many have wished to make a film about Dokka Seethamma Garu. Even Cotton Dora Garu once praised her. When invited to London to be felicitated, Dokka Seethamma declined, saying, ‘If I go there, who will feed the hungry here?’ That shows the depth of her character. It brings me immense joy to be part of a film that portrays such a great soul.

In today’s era dominated by commercial cinema, it’s heartening that people like Rambabu Garu and Ravi Narayan Garu are coming forward with stories like this. Films like Dokka Seethamma truly deserve big success.”

*Director T.V. Ravi Narayan stated:* “Wishing Murali Mohan Garu, my very first hero, a happy birthday. From the moment he suggested I take up this story, he has constantly encouraged me. This film has reached where it is today because of his support, and I’ll always be grateful.”

*Dasanna said:* “The first look of Murali Mohan Garu from Dokka Seethamma looks fantastic. I pray for his health and well-being.”

*Music director Karthik remarked:* “It’s an honor to compose music for a film starring someone as esteemed as Murali Mohan Garu. Dokka Seethamma embodies Dharma, and when I think of Dharma, I think of Murali Mohan Garu. I thank everyone who made it possible for me to be a part of this noble project.”

*Shiva Nagu shared:* “Murali Mohan Garu is about to achieve another success with Dokka Seethamma. I’ll soon be directing him in a future film. He is a phenomenal actor.”

*Lion Sai Venkat noted:* “Murali Mohan Garu has succeeded in every field he has entered. Such people are rare. He always wishes ‘Sarve Jana Sukhino Bhavantu’ (May all be happy), which I believe is why he remains so healthy and energetic.”

*Renowned producer Rama Satyanarayana said:* “At a time when films are mostly made with a formula of four songs and a few fights, it’s refreshing to see a meaningful film based on the life of Dokka Seethamma Garu. We need more films like this. I wish Murali Mohan Garu great success with this venture.”

*Producer Bekkem Venugopal stated:* “Since the beginning of my career, Murali Mohan Garu has been a pillar of support and a source of inspiration. He has achieved greatness in cinema, business, and politics. I hope Dokka Seethamma adds yet another feather to his cap.”

*Relangi Narasimha Rao said:* “We’ve heard so much about Dokka Seethamma since our school days. I’m thrilled to see a film being made about her. Since my entry into the industry, Murali Mohan Garu has always supported me. When people speak of goodness in the industry, they think of Superstar Krishna and Murali Mohan. Our guru Dasari Garu even affectionately called him ‘Murali’ as if he were his own son.”

Cast: Murali Mohan, Amani, Rajamouli, Akella, Jabardasth Apparao, Shrilu, Chinababu, Kakinada Prasad, Jabardasth Bobby, Tummalapalli Ramasatyanarayana, Ramesh, Keshavi, Pittal Dora, Koorakula Chinna, TV9 Sathya, D. Veerababu, and others.

Technical Crew:
Banner: Usha Rani Movies
Producer: Valluri Rambabu
Director: T.V. Ravi Narayan
Music Director: Karthik Kodakandla
Editor: Srikrishna
Cinematographer: Rahul Srivatsav
Art Director: M. Ravi Kumar
Lyrics: Chandra Bose, Vijay Kumar, Veeru
Choreography: Suchitra Chandra Bose
PRO: Sai Satish

Vishnu Manchu’s dream project, ‘Kannappa’, is set to release on June 27th. The film was produced by M. Mohan Babu under the Ava Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory banners, with Mukesh Kumar Singh directing. On the occasion of the film’s release, director Mukesh Kumar Singh shared some interesting insights with the media.

* The ‘Mahabharat’ serial was very extensive. I didn’t direct all the episodes; there were other directors as well.
* Vishnu asked me to come to Hyderabad. We discussed for about three or four hours. Until then, I didn’t know much about “Kannappa.” After Vishnu narrated the story, I did a lot of research. Then, Mohan Babu Garu called me again and spoke with me for an hour about the Mahabharat serial. That’s how I was finalized for this film.
* All the projects I’ve done on the small screen so far have been high-budget. We made the ‘Mahabharat’ serial with ₹200 crores. Films are not new to me. I’ve previously produced English films in collaboration with international organizations. Whether I work for the small screen or the big screen, I work with the same mindset.
* Everyone worked wonderfully for ‘Kannappa’. Everyone on sets worked with great dedication. Because of them, my work became very easy. Working with Akshay Sir, Mohanlal Sir, Prabhas Sir, Mohan Babu Garu, Vishnu Garu, Brahmanandam Garu, and everyone else was an unforgettable experience. Mohan Babu Garu worked with immense passion even at this age. As a producer, he was one way, and when acting, he felt completely different.

Discussions have been intense over the past few days about whether Trisha, who continues to shine as a top-tier actress even after crossing forty, will soon make her political debut. If one closely observes the latest developments, it seems Trisha, who has starred opposite Vijay in several super hit films, might also join him in politics.

Analyses suggest that Trisha is preparing to act alongside Tamil superstar Vijay, who is meticulously making moves to win the upcoming Tamil Nadu assembly elections and realize his dream of becoming Chief Minister. The beautiful actress’s statement in a recent interview that “her desire is to become Chief Minister” is now gaining significance.

It’s now understood that she didn’t say that in jest but was serious. We’ll have to wait and see if Trisha intends to move forward by taking J. Jayalalithaa as her role model, who acted with MGR, walked with him in politics, became his close confidante, and then ascended to the Chief Minister’s seat after him.

The “divided talk” that emerged on the first day for the film “Kubera” continued even on its fourth day yesterday. While some are lashing out, asking, “How can they miss so many logics? Do they take cinematic liberties to this extent?”, others are praising it as “a very good film despite some flaws.”

However, reports from Tamil Nadu indicate a “washout.” Analysts are expressing dismay that Dhanush’s superstar status there couldn’t benefit the film even slightly. In Telugu, though, the film is currently performing quite well, swimming against the tide of criticism.

Factors like Megastar Chiranjeevi’s presence at the success meet and the lack of a proper follow-up film after “Singles” are working in “Kubera’s” favor. It’s noteworthy that despite being promoted as a pan-India film, it has failed to make even a nominal impact in other languages.

It’s known that the film “Thug Life” a collaboration between Mani Ratnam and Kamal Haasan, was a huge disappointment. In particular, director Mani Ratnam faced a barrage of criticism. Doubts were even raised if the same person who directed “Nayagan” also directed “Thug Life.”

In this context, Mani Ratnam has apologized to his fans and the audience. He also stated that all he can do now is ask for forgiveness. In this film, Kamal Haasan not only played a key role but also provided the story.