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India Today
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Kannappa review: Prabhas shines in a legendary tale that misses its soul
The tale of Kannappa, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva who offered his eyes to the Lord out of devotion, is a familiar story to most South Indians. A major reason for this familiarity is the evergreen classic films like the 1938 Tamil film Kannappa Nayanar, the 1954 Kannada film starring Dr Rajkumar, Bedara Kannappa - which was also released in Telugu as Kalahasti Mahatyam, the 1976 Telugu film starring Krishnam Raju, Bhakta Kannappa, and the 1988 Kannada film starring Shiva Rajkumar, Shiva Mecchida actor Vishnu Manchu, in an attempt to reintroduce the story of this iconic devotee to the modern audience, has invested his heart, soul, and money - along with his father and veteran Telugu actor Mohan Babu. From extensive shoots in live locations to an ensemble cast of well-known actors, including cameos by Prabhas, Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, and Kajal Aggarwal, the film has been buzzing with updates ever since its announcement. But from a creative standpoint, does the film reflect the effort invested? Does it live up to its predecessors? Let's find out!Thinnadu (Vishnu Manchu) is a fierce warrior who sees no divinity in idols - only stone. A staunch non-believer, he dismisses rituals and ridicules the customs of his tribe. However, in the celestial realm of Kailasa, Lord Shiva (Akshay Kumar) and Goddess Parvathi (Kajal Aggarwal) closely observe Thinnadu's every move. Shiva, having foreseen Thinnadu's destiny, knows that this sceptic is fated to become one of his most devoted Thinnadu, the son of the tribal chief (Sarathkumar), is exiled from his community for instigating fights and creating rifts among neighbouring tribes, after falling in love with Nemali (Preity Mukundan), the princess of a neighbouring tribe - someone who was promised to another. The region is home to five distinct tribes, and at the heart of their land lies the sacred 'Vayulinga' - an object of immense spiritual significance. Its divine energy soon attracts a dark force intent on desecration. As evil looms over the tribes, the stakes rise: their culture, unity, and survival hang in the threat does the Vayulinga face? How will Thinnadu rise to protect his people? What journey led him from atheism to absolute devotion? And who plays a role in bringing him closer to Lord Shiva? The answers to these questions make up the plot of the film. The music in the film, specifically the devotional songs, deserves the first mention. It might seem unconventional for a review to begin with the songs, but for the experience the devotional tracks offer, they certainly deserve to be highlighted first. The songs Shiva Shiva Shankara and Om Namah Shivay exude power through their composition. The background score also contributes significantly to the narrative. Composer Stephen Devassy, along with singers like Vijay Prakash and Shankar Mahadevan, Manchu, as Thinnadu, the atheist warrior, delivers an underwhelming performance except in the action sequences. While the character and the situations he faces demand a variety of expressions - since the tone of the scenes constantly shifts - Vishnu seemingly struggles to keep up and deliver the versatility in the last 50 minutes, when Thinnadu's character undergoes a transformation and becomes an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, Vishnu's natural innocence adds depth to the role. While his romantic scenes with Preity Mukundan feel like a poorly placed distraction, the chemistry he shares with the Aasa Kooda actor is falters when it comes to direction, screenplay, and execution. Director Mukesh Kumar Singh, known for several mythological TV serials, brings the same melodramatic and slightly outdated touch to the film. The story and screenplay, written by Vishnu Manchu himself, add a fictional arc to the devotional tale we all know. Although the arc has interesting ideas, it suffers from poor execution in both writing and from Vishnu Manchu, Kannappa features an ensemble cast that includes veterans like Mohan Babu, Sarathkumar, Brahmanandam, Devaraj, Madhoo, and Mukesh Rishi, along with familiar faces such as Preity Mukundan, Brahmaji, and Aishwarya Bhaskaran. Preity Mukundan, as the female lead, delivers an impressive performance - bringing beauty, elegance, charm, and strong screen presence to her character. The rest of the cast performs well Akshay Kumar, and Kajal Aggarwal appear in extended cameo roles, while Mohanlal makes a brief appearance in an intriguing segment. Prabhas makes the most impact as Rudra, with the story's momentum picking up considerably after his entry in the second half. Akshay Kumar and Kajal Aggarwal, however, are presented in an old-school TV serial format, rendering their appearances slightly cinematography by Sheldon Chau, especially during the scenic sequences shot in New Zealand, is beautiful. However, the rendered VFX work in patch scenes is noticeably inconsistent in quality. The most disappointing technical aspect of the film is the editing. While the film could have been crisper, for viewers with a pet peeve for poor transitions, this might be a tough has its fair share of drawbacks, but from a devotional perspective, it manages to tap into the right emotions by the end. The climax offers a theatrical experience that is worth watching - if one has the patience to wait for it.- EndsWATCH: IN THIS STORY#Prabhas#Akshay Kumar
New Indian Express
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
A writer and his words' worth
Dhaya's personal favourite is a play for all seasons, Karaikal Ammaiyar, which drew a repeat audience. Dhaya playing with the dialogues brought the house down. Strongly believing that even historical scripts could do with a bit of fine-tuning, Dhaya brought to light a few qualities of Karaikal Ammaiyar, not told before. 'One among the three Nayanmar, the eldest one, had walked with the support of her hands on Kayilai Hill, which prompted Lord Siva to deem her as 'Ammaiye'. That she was born in Karaikal resulted in her being called as the title signifies, giving an insight into the character which not many were aware of,' he narrates. Meanwhile, Veera Mangai Velu Nachiar was another audience favourite. In Dhaya's esteem, it was a script much ahead of its time. People had only heard of the exploits of Jhansi Rani, with very few pages depicting the towering persona of Nachiar. 'Here was a warrior who fought a lonely battle to exact revenge on the murderer of her husband. Nachaiar's confrontations with her daughter Vellachi were the life and soul of the plot, each having a different view on how to get even with the perpetrators. The exchanges were lively, where the dialogues had to ring in the prevalent mood of the actors. Chaste Tamil had a special place in an era where even a small fumble brought in a long frown from the die-hard historic fans,' he notes. In devotional plays, Dhaya's way of portraying Lord Shiva, which had many layers and dimensions in scores of plays involving Shiva and Parvathi, was always a win. 'It boiled down to letting the mind go overboard, shaping the characters of a Shiva devotee. One such play, Kannappa Nayanar, brought to light the feelings of a young devotee wondering at the dearth of talent in the kingdom ruled by incompetent heads,' he says. Now, Dhaya is still game to mix social plays with the historic ones. Talking about this, he recalls the 80s when his play James Bond 007 had a massive following. 'Bhairavan was the name I had coined for the Bond, and the opening line went in the same fashion as all of Bond movies — The name is Bhairavan, struck an instant chord with the viewers. Some of my well-wishers fondly call me by that name even today, which should be seen as a victory for the character and not for the writer,' he notes. Presently working on Manimegalai and Desa Bakthargal for two production houses, Dhaya says he always desired that his hands are full. That one script is based on Silapadigaram, and the other one on the five greats of Tamil history — Kodikatha Kumaran, Vanjinathan, VO Chidambaram, Mahakavi Bharathiar, and Jhansi Rani — has only added to his excitement. At 68, Dhaya feels he still has miles to traverse as a writer. New scripts still excite him. 'Every dive is a new experience and the feel is beyond words to comprehend,' he signs off.
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- New Indian Express
15 years after theft, officials stop auction of Nagai temple idol in Netherlands
THANJAVUR/CHENNAI: Timely action by the Idol Wing CID prevented the auction of an antique metal idol valued around Rs 8 crore at an art exhibition held in the Netherlands, which was stolen from a temple in Nagapattinam around 15 years ago. The Kannappa Nayanar metal idol was secured by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 23, 2025, after the intervention by the Idol Wing CID and the Archaeological Survey of India. Legal proceedings are now under way to bring the idol back to India, a press note said. The idol had been stolen 15 years ago from Arulmigu Agneeswarar Swamy Temple in Thirupugalur in Nagapattinam, with a case registered at Thittachery Police Station, and investigations have been ongoing since then. The 11th to 12th century idol measures 64 cm in height, 25 cm in width and weighs 23 kg. Recently, the idol wing CID came to know that the idol was kept at the European Fine Arts Exhibition-2025 held in Maastricht city of Netherlands and that it was up for auction. Immediately, the wing took up the issue with the police officials in the Netherlands and the officials of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to prevent the auction. The idol's present market value is around `8 crore, the Idol Wing CID sources said.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Time of India
Netherlands auction of stolen idol foiled; repatriation to Nagai temple initiated
Chennai: An attempt to auction off an antique idol, which had been stolen from Tamil Nadu about 15 years ago, at a fine arts exhibition in the Netherlands has been thwarted, thanks to timely alert by India and swift action by the Netherlands centuries-old bronze idol of Kannappa Nayanar was stolen from the Arulmigu Agneeswarar temple in Tiruppugazhur, Nagapattinam district on Aug 8, 2010.A case was registered at Thittacherry police station under Section 380 of the Indian Penal Code for theft. Despite limited leads at the time, the investigation continued under the watch of Tamil Nadu's idol idol was scheduled for auction at the European Fine Arts Exhibition 2025 in the Netherlands in March. It has since been nixed and secured by the ministry of foreign affairs of the Netherlands and is now being repatriated to a tip -off earlier this year, the then inspector-general of police (idol wing), Pravesh Kumar, alerted authorities in the Netherlands and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) through an official email on March 18, 2025, requesting immediate action to halt the to the alert, Dutch authorities placed the idol under the custody of the ministry of foreign affairs on March 23, steps have since been initiated by the Indian govt to facilitate the return of the artefact to India, in coordination with the Netherlands."We were alerted of the bronze surfacing in Tefaf Maastricht art fair by a European dealer , Lynda Albertson of ARCA art crime institute. It is a unique posture of Kannappa Nayanar, and we worked closely with the idol wing to find possible matches. We used our advanced proprietary app developed by the India Pride Project, and the Dutch police were impressed with our technology proof. We are working closely to trace two more bronzes stolen during the same theft," says India Pride Project co-founder S Vijay Kumar. Tamil Nadu DGP Shankar Jiwal commended the idol wing officials for their timely coordination with national and international agencies.
NDTV
06-05-2025
- General
- NDTV
From Nagapattinam To Netherlands: Cops Recover Stolen Shiva Devotee Idol
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Police's Idol Wing has stopped the auction of an antique at the European Fine Arts Exhibition in the Netherlands. The idol, dating to the 11th or 12th century, was stolen from the Arulmigu Agneeswaraswamy Temple in Nagapattinam fifteen years ago, NDTV was told. Leads were scarce at that time, but Tamil Nadu Police kept their heads down, followed the clues, and cracked the case, and have now tracked down the whereabouts of the idol. Acting on the cops' inputs, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and local police took custody of the Kannappa Nayanar idol in March. Legal procedures to retrieve the idol are underway. "We estimate this to be worth between Rs 6 and 8 crore and will get to know more about it once we get custody," Kalapana Nayak, Additional Director-General with the Idol Wing, told NDTV. On challenges in retrieving the idol, she said, "It was difficult to trace since it has been 15 years since it was stolen. But we worked quickly when we found out it was in the Netherlands." Over the last few years Ms Nayak and her colleagues have recovered 374 idols - 36 made of metal, 265 of stone, and 73 from wood. The idol shows Kannapa Nayanar - a devotee of Lord Shiva - standing on a pedestal and placing his right hand on the head. There are intricate carvings all over the body. According to legend Nayanar was born in what is now Andhra Pradesh. A hunter by profession, he became devoted to Shiva when he found a representation of the god in the forest. He began offering meat and water to the representation, or the lingam. Legend says he found it 'bleeding' once and cut out his eye and offered it the lingam. When its second eye began bleeding, he was about to cut out his second and offer that too. Moved by his devotion Shiva restored his sight. The lingam he found is worshiped at a temple in Andhra.
