‘Kannappa’: Hard Drive With Pivotal Footage From Vishnu Manchu-Prabhas Film Stolen

The makers of the star-studded Telugu film Kannappa have found themselves in a soup after a hard drive containing pivotal footage from their film was reported to be stolen. 24 Frames Factory, the producers of the film, have now officially confirmed this incident in a statement on X.

A hard drive containing a pivotal action sequence between two lead characters of Kannappa, along with critical VFX work, was stolen during transit, they informed in the statement. “The drive was shipped from Hive Studios, Mumbai, and intended to be delivered to our official production office. Shockingly, the package was unlawfully intercepted and signed for by an individual named Mr. Raghu, who acted under the instructions of a woman named Charita. Neither of them are employees, representatives, or associates of 24 Frames Factory. Their act constitutes impersonation and theft,” the statement read.

The note also informed readers of a police complaint that was filed nearly four weeks ago, and intelligence on a potential leak: “It is no secret who orchestrated this attempt—both we and law enforcement are well aware of the forces at play. The perpetrator’s identity is known, and the motive is clear. More disturbingly, credible intelligence has recently emerged that these individuals, under guidance from the same source, are planning to leak over 90 minutes of unreleased footage online in a desperate attempt to derail the release of Kannappa. In response, the Executive Producer has formally escalated the matter to Cyber Crime authorities to take swift and firm action.”

The note further urged the public and the media not to circulate any pirated content if it emerges, and to “stand by the artists and technicians who have poured years of effort” into the film. 

Kannappa, based on the second-century story of a devotee of Lord Siva, is directed by Mukhesh Kumar Singh, and co-written and produced by Vishnu Manchu. The film’s ensemble cast includes Manchu, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, Mohanlal, and Kajal Aggarwal, among others, and is headed for a June 27 release.