Akshay Kumar lands in Hyderabad for Telugu debut, 'Kannappa'
What's the story
After making a mark in Bollywood, Akshay Kumar is now all set to make his debut in Telugu cinema with the upcoming mythological drama Kannappa.
The actor recently arrived in Hyderabad for a meeting with the film's team, including co-star Vishnu Manchu.
Although tidbits about Kumar's role are still under wraps, fans are speculating that he might reprise his portrayal of Lord Shiva from OMG 2.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Kannappa is a mythological drama directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced under Manchu's banners AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory.
The film narrates the journey of Kannappa—a devout follower of Lord Shiva.
The star-studded cast also includes Preity Mukhundhan, Mohanlal, Prabhas, Mohan Babu, R Sarathkumar, Brahmanandam, Madhoo, and Mukesh Rishi.
The movie will be released in multiple languages including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English.
Warm welcome
Kumar was warmly welcomed by 'Kannappa' team
Upon his arrival in Hyderabad, Kumar was warmly welcomed by the cast and crew of Kannappa.
A video circulating online shows the actor dressed in a black shirt and pants, complemented with matching sunglasses and a cap.
He was presented with a garland and shawl, traditional symbols of new beginnings.
Co-star Manchu expressed his excitement about Kumar's involvement in the project on social media, announcing his debut in Telugu cinema with Kannappa.
Twitter Post
Take a look at the video here
The #𝐊𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚🏹 journey just got more thrilling as we welcome the Superstar Mr. Akshay Kumar to the Telugu Film Industry. Thrilled to announce his debut in Telugu cinema with Kannappa. Get ready for an unforgettable adventure! 🎬❤️@akshaykumar #akshaykumar… pic.twitter.com/o7lnOJP3BH — Vishnu Manchu (@iVishnuManchu) April 16, 2024
Previous role
This isn't Kumar's first involvement in South Indian cinema
Although Kannappa marks Kumar's Tollywood debut, it isn't his freshman involvement in South Indian cinema.
The actor has earlier worked in Ashaant, a 1993 bilingual film also released in Kannada as Vishnu Vijaya.
More recently, he made his Tamil debut with the Rajinikanth-led sci-fi film 2.0, directed by Shankar in 2018.
Meanwhile, he is currently on the screens in Ali Abbas Zafar's Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, co-starring Tiger Shroff and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
About the project
Manchu is serving as a writer, too
Manchu has a personal stake in Kannappa, not only starring in it but also penning the screenplay.
The story was crafted by Paruchuri Gopala Krishna, Eshwar Reddy, G Nageswara Reddy, and Thota Prasad.
To note, the plot is about an atheist hunter Kannappa—who became a devotee of Lord Shiva—and plucked out his eyes in devotion.
The shooting of Kannappa has taken place in New Zealand and Hyderabad so far.