Kannappa, Vishnu Manchu's eagerly awaited Telugu movie, will premiere in theaters the following week. Prior to its release, producer Mohan Babu posted on social media about his best friend, superstar Rajinikanth, watching the movie with his family and shared the actor's touching response.

Mohan Babu posted photos with Rajinikanth on X to commemorate the 30th anniversary of their film Pedarayudu, writing, "On June 15, Pedarayudu completed 30 glorious years since its theatrical release." My best friend @rajinikanth also watched #Kannappa with his family on the same day. I'll always remember the love, warmth, and support he showed me after the movie. I appreciate it, Mitrama."

Kannappa is reviewed by Rajinikanth

Vishnu Manchu, Kannappa's main actor and Mohan Babu's son, also posted photos of Rajinikanth along with his response to the movie. He said, "Last night, @rajinikanth uncle watched #Kannappa." He hugged me tightly after the movie. He said he loved #Kannappa. As an actor, I've waited 22 years for that embrace! I feel positive today. Humbled. Thankful. #Kannappa is arriving June 27, and I eagerly anticipate everyone experiencing Lord Shiva's enchantment. #HarHarMahadev."

All There Is to Know About Kannappa

The legendary fantasy thriller is inspired by the tale of Kannappa, a devout Hindu follower of Lord Shiva. Vishnu Manchu plays the title character in the movie, which also features Mohan Babu, R. Sarathkumar, and Madhoo, among others. Star-studded cameos include Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva, Mohanlal as Kirata, Prabhas as Rudra, and Kajal Aggarwal as Goddess Parvati. The movie will debut in theaters on June 27th.

Vishnu Manchu disclosed in an interview with the Hindustan Times that Kannappa combines a Lord of the Rings (LOTR)-influenced visual scale with traditional Indian storytelling. "I've seen the Telugu version of the 1976 film Bhakta Kannappa many times, and in 2015, when director Tanikella Bharani told me the story he had, I was keen," he stated. He told me he wasn't the right person to direct the movie after we had been working on the script for a few months, as my vision was to produce it on a grand, extravagant scale. He felt more at ease producing smaller movies. I therefore purchased the rights and made the decision to create it. I adored Lord of the Rings and pondered whether I could blend that epic, worldwide perspective with the narrative I was raised with.