Kannappa starring Manchu Vishnu, Preity Mukundhan, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, Kajal Aggarwal and Mohanlal, Mohan Babu is releasing on 27th June. The movie has been facing protests from Brahmins over the caste related abuses. The movie makers did not address the protests till date but as they are growing in intensity, writer Akella Siva Prasad, released a press note asking them to stop.
He wrote that the movie team has many Brahmins working to bring to the big screen. He indeed stated that even the director is a Brahmin, and hence, they should not be creating controversies without watching the film. He guaranteed that film will not hurt anyone and it will be pure devotional bliss to watch.
His full note:
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.
