Hero Manchu Vishnu’s ambitious project “Kannappa” is rapidly gaining momentum. Following the completion of the film’s second schedule and the highly praised release of the first look poster, the team is diligently preparing for the next phase of shooting.

Manchu Vishnu’s dedication to his dream project is evident in his efforts to secure a star-studded cast. Recent reports confirmed the inclusion of Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar in a cameo role. Now, industry insiders suggest that the talented actress Anushka Shetty is also in talks to join the film’s impressive ensemble. If finalized, Akshay Kumar is expected to portray Lord Shiva, while Anushka Shetty would take on the role of Parvati.

The original choice for Parvati’s role was reportedly Kangana Ranaut. However, her current political commitments as a candidate for Member of Parliament necessitated a change in casting. Anushka Shetty’s immense popularity in South India, coupled with her acting prowess, makes her a strong contender for the role. An official announcement regarding her casting is awaited with anticipation.

Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, “Kannappa” boasts a highly skilled crew. Acclaimed Hollywood cinematographer Sheldon Chau, renowned action director Kecha Khamphakdee, and the celebrated dance maestro Prabhu Deva bring their expertise to the project. The film is bankrolled by Manchu Mohan Babu under the banners of Ava Entertainments and 24 Frames Factory. Writers Thota Prasad and Sai Madhav Burra have crafted the screenplay. The musical composition is a collaborative effort between Stephen Devassy and Manisharma, creating a pan-Indian soundscape for the film.

Adding to the film’s grandeur are special appearances by Mohanlal, Sarathkumar, and other prominent actors. With its impressive cast, crew, and Manchu Vishnu’s dedication, “Kannappa” is shaping up to be a prestigious and highly anticipated project.

After a disappointing summer, things are going to get spicier in the latter half of 2024. Especially, a lot of big flicks are arriving from August to October. We will see the likes of star heroes like Allu Arjun, Ram Charan, NTR and Pawan Kalyan attacking the Indian box office. While it is not a competition among them for now, the real competition is going to be between the music composers.

Anirudh Ravichander has been releasing one blockbuster album after another in recent years. He is the top composer in Kollywood without a doubt and he has all the big star hero films. But he is yet to make a strong impact in Tollywood. His soulful music in ‘Jersey’ and ‘Gang Leader’ were major strengths for those movies but he needed a big hero project to prove to everyone.

Though the music of ‘Agnyathavaasi’ was good, it ended up being a disaster. He has ‘Devara’ in his hands right now. The BGM hyped up the fans already and heroes like Vishwak Sen and Siddu Jonnalagadda have sung laurels about ‘Devara’ music recently. There are high expectations on Anirudh and he will become the first choice if he delivers big time for NTR’s flick.

After being out of form for the past year or two, Rockstar Devi Sri Prasad is getting back to his best. He has accepted a couple of projects in Telugu as well as Tamil. He is giving music for Suriya’s ‘Kanguva’ and Naga Chaitanya’s ‘Thandel’ as well. On top of everything, everyone are waiting for his music in ‘Pushpa 2 – The Rule’.

He received a National Award for his songs in the first part and his background score for the recently released Glimpse gave goosebumps to the audience. If ‘Pushpa 2’ album becomes a chartbuster as everyone expects it to be, there is no stopping DSP in the South again. He is also giving music for Dhanush’s ‘Kubera’ and Pawan’s ‘Ustaad Bhagat Singh’.

If there is one composer who is facing a lot of criticism in recent times it is Thaman. The star composer has some big films in his bag but he needs to deliver bangers in order to satisfy the fans. His music in recent times turned out to be a disappointment.

His ‘Jaragandi’ song from ‘Game Changer’ was subjected to a lot of trolls. Many are worried that Shankar taking Thaman instead of his trusted composer AR Rahman might be a mistake. He needs to prove them wrong with the rest of the songs in ‘Game Changer’.

Also, he is the composer for Pawan’s most-awaited flick ‘OG’. He impressed everyone with his background score in the teaser but the songs need to be equally good as his work in ‘Bro’ was not up to the mark. It will be interesting to see which of these three turns out to be the winner by the end of October.