Kannappa box office collection day 1: Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, Mohanlal, Vishnu Manchu-starrer fails to get double-digit opening, earns just Rs...

The pan-India mythological drama film Kannappa has been released in cinemas on June 27. The film features Vishnu Manchu in the titular role of Lord Shiva's staunch devotee and has pan-India superstars Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal playing special cameos. Kannappa has received mixed reviews from the audiences and critics with some praising its climax, while others criticising it for its dragged screenplay.

Kannappa sees disappointing start at box office

As per the early estimates from the entertainment tracking portal Sacnilk, Kannappa has failed to score a double-digit opening and has earned just Rs 9 crore net in India on its first day of release. Though it is Vishnu Manchu's biggest opener, Kannappa has seen a disappointing start considering the presence of Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, and Mohanlal, and the fact that it was released across India and worldwide in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada languages.

Prabhas and Mohanlal did Kannappa for free

In an interview with Indian Express Screen prior to the film's release, Vishnu Manchu shared that Prabhas and Mohanlal refused to take even a single penny for Kannappa. He said, "Two people helped me greatly to make the film what it is today: Mohanlal and Prabhas. Mohanlal is such great superstar, he didn’t really have to do a small role in my film, but due to his love and respect for my father, he agreed to do the role in less than a minute. Secondly, Prabhas. He is a great friend of mine. He is not just one of the biggest stars in India but Asia. He too didn’t have to do this role. But after I confessed to him that I would need his presence for a greater reach of my film, he agreed immediately. He didn’t even care to listen to his role in the film."

"Both Prabhas and Mohanlal didn’t take a single penny to do the role. Every time I ask them to quote their fees, they would yell at me. They will say: ‘Itne bade aadmi hogaye ho ki humein paise doge?’ Mohanlal said you grew up around me and today you dare to pay me for my work? Prabhas threatened to kill me", the Rowdy actor further added.

More about Kannappa

Kannappa was shot for over eight months in New Zealand with a crew of over 800 people. The pan-India mythological drama also features Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, Preity Mukhundhan and Madhoo in key supporting roles. The film is directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by Vishnu Manchu's father Mohan Babu.

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