Vishnu Manchu: Portraying devotee of Kannappa's magnitude forces daily introspection

New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) Actor Vishnu Manchu shares that portraying a devotee of Kannappa deepened his spiritual discipline and self-awareness.

Asked how working on “Kanappa” impacted his own spiritual or personal journey, Vishnu told IANS: “Portraying a devotee of Kannappa’s magnitude forces daily introspection. I built a routine: dawn training, brief meditation, then work.”

He added: “That discipline keeps ego in check and reminds me why the story matters. I’m more deliberate about the decisions I make—on set and off—because I’m carrying the weight of a man who never hesitated.”

Bringing a mythological story to life is no small feat. What were Vishnu’s biggest creative or emotional challenges?

Pat came the reply from Vishnu: “Two fronts. Creatively, striking the balance between scale and sincerity—spectacle cannot drown out substance.”

He added: “Emotionally, honoring a legend that many hold sacred meant zero shortcuts: constant consultations with historians, priests, and language experts. If we didn’t earn their trust, the visuals wouldn’t matter.”

“Kannappa” is a mythological action drama film directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by Mohan Babu. It is based on the legend of Kannappa in Hinduism, a devotee of the god Shiva.

Supporting roles are played by Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, Preity Mukhundhan and Madhoo.

In South Indian traditions, Kannappa is a devotee of the Hindu god Shiva. His story is closely connected with the Srikalahasteeswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh. He is a saint in the Saiva Siddhanta tradition.

Talking about Vishnu, he made his acting debut as a child artist in his father Mohan Babu's 1985 film Ragile Gundelu. He landed his first lead role in the film Vishnu in 2003 directed by Shaji Kailas.

--IANS

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