'Kannappa': Kajal Aggarwal To Reportedly Star Opposite Akshay Kumar, Vishnu Manchu

A source close to the development told the media outlet exclusively, “Vishnu Manchu’s film ‘Kannappa’ is only going to get bigger. As you know, it was announced this morning that Akshay Kumar is playing an important role in this film. Top south actor Kajal Aggarwal is also part of the project and the filmmakers will make the announcement shortly.”

Earlier, actor-director Vishu Manchu posted on his official X account to announce that Kumar would be joining them and making his Telugu debut.

The ‘Khiladi’ actor is presently in Hyderabad for the film’s shooting. Vishnu Manchu stated in a release, “To have an actor of his mettle joining us is a huge honour. His addition makes ‘Kannappa’ a truly Pan-Indian film.”

Helmed by Mukesh Kumar, ‘Kannappa’ draws inspiration from Telugu folklore centered on a fervent devotee of Lord Shiva. The narrative unfolds with Vishnu Manchu portraying Kannappa, a dauntless warrior and an atheist, whose transformation into a devoted follower of Lord Shiva is the crux of the story. While there are speculations that Akshay Kumar will assume the role of Lord Shiva, Kajal Aggarwal’s character remains undisclosed as of yet.

In addition to them, the movie also features Preity Mukhundhan, Mohanlal, Prabhas, Nayanthara, Mohan Babu, R Sarathkumar, Brahmanandam, Madhoo and Mukesh Rishi in important roles.

Produced by AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory, notably, Hollywood cinematographer Sheldon Chau, action director Kecha Khamphakdee, and dance maestro Prabhu Deva have been roped in for this ambitious project. Scheduled for release in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English, the film’s release date is yet to be announced.