Despite an electrifying buzz and an unprecedented ensemble of superstar cameos, Vishnu Manchu’s mythological epic, Kannappa, appears to be struggling at the box office. After a promising start that marked a career-best opening for the actor, the film witnessed a concerning dip over its crucial first weekend, failing to translate star power into sustained audience pull.
Early projections for Sunday, the third day of its theatrical run, indicate that Kannappa managed to collect approximately Rs 7.25 crore. This brings its cumulative domestic earnings over the opening weekend to a modest Rs 23.75 crore, a figure that has left many industry observers puzzled given the film’s star quotient.
Kannappa’s Rollercoaster Box Office Ride
The journey began with immense fanfare. Boosted by the magnetic presence of titans like Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, and Mohanlal in special appearances, anticipation for Kannappa was sky-high. On its inaugural day, Friday, the film delivered a solid Rs 9.35 crore, signaling a robust start and setting expectations for a blockbuster weekend.
However, the momentum proved fleeting. Saturday saw a noticeable 23 percent drop in collections, with the film earning Rs 7.15 crore. This trend largely continued into Sunday, as the numbers hovered around the same mark, suggesting a disconnect between the initial hype and sustained audience engagement throughout the weekend.
Regional Performance: Telugu Market Leads
While Kannappa was released in multiple languages, its performance has been predominantly driven by the Telugu-speaking regions. On Sunday, the film recorded an impressive 39.93% occupancy in its original Telugu version. In contrast, the Tamil version saw 24.11% occupancy, followed by the Hindi version at 22.71%. The Malayalam market, unfortunately, lagged significantly with just 5.82% occupancy, highlighting the film’s limited pan-India appeal beyond its core audience.
The ‘Kuberaa’ Clash: Dhanush Outpaces Vishnu Manchu
The release of Kannappa coincided with a bustling period for Telugu cinema, entering the fray just a week after Dhanush‘s critically acclaimed crime thriller, Kuberaa. Released on June 20th, Kuberaa has shown remarkable resilience at the box office. A direct comparison of their first three days reveals a stark difference in fortunes: Kuberaa amassed a formidable Rs 48.6 crore, dwarfing Kannappa‘s Rs 23.75 crore in the same timeframe. This significant gap underscores Kannappa‘s uphill battle for box office dominance.
Echoes of ‘HanuMan’: A Missed Opportunity for Kannappa?
The Telugu film industry recently witnessed a surprising mythological success story with Teja Sajja‘s HanuMan. That film, against all odds, managed to outperform high-budget productions featuring stars like Mahesh Babu‘s Guntur Kaaram, Venkatesh‘s Saindhav, and Nagarjuna‘s Naa Saami Ranga. HanuMan’s initial three-day collection stood at Rs 24.65 crore, slightly exceeding Kannappa’s opening weekend. More importantly, HanuMan went on to become a box office juggernaut, raking in over Rs 200 crore domestically. This comparison highlights a potential missed opportunity for Kannappa to capture similar mythological magic and wider audience appeal.
The Epic Tale and its Star-Studded Cast
At its heart, Kannappa is a grand narrative based on the revered legend of Kannappa, a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva. The film boasts an expansive cast beyond its high-profile cameos, featuring talents like Kajal Aggarwal, Preity Mukhundhan, Mohan Babu, R Sarathkumar, Arpit Ranka, comedy icon Brahmanandam, Brahmaji, Siva Balaji, Kaushal Manda, Rahul Madhav, Devaraj, Mukesh Rishi, Raghu Babu, and Madhoo in pivotal roles. Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced by AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory, the film’s ambitious scale and devotional theme were expected to resonate deeply with audiences, but the numbers tell a different story so far.
