Vishnu Manchu’s Double ‘No’ from Akshay: How Humble Hustle and Sudha Kongara Turned ‘Can’t Afford’ into ‘Can Do’

Vishnu Manchu, the star and producer of the much-anticipated mythological film Kannappa, has opened up about the hurdles he faced while trying to cast Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar as Lord Shiva. In a recent chat, Vishnu shared that Akshay turned down the role not once, but twice, mainly due to scheduling conflicts and other issues. Not one to give up easily, Vishnu reached out to director Sudha Kongara, asking her to step in and personally persuade Akshay to give it another thought.

 

Vishnu also confessed that the production team was unable to meet Akshay Kumar’s typical fee, which played a part in his initial refusals. In the end, it was Sudha Kongara’s efforts combined with Vishnu’s determination that convinced Akshay to join the project for his Telugu debut, reportedly without any payment for his cameo.

 

Set to hit theaters on June 27, 2025, Kannappa is a pan-India venture boasting a stellar cast that includes Prabhas, Mohanlal, and Kajal Aggarwal. The film has already created quite a buzz, especially with fans eagerly awaiting Akshay Kumar’s portrayal of Lord Shiva.

 

 Source: BollywoodShaadis, Wikipedia