Kanappa Movie Review | Kairam Vaashi | THR India

Kairam Vaashi takes a deep dive into director Mukesh Kumar Singh's mythological epic Kanappa, starring Vishnu Manchu in the titular role of the legendary devotee who offered his eyes to Lord Shiva. With an ensemble cast featuring Prabhas, Mohan Lal, Mohan Babu, Akshay Kumar, and Sharath Kumar, Kanappa promises more than just cameos — but does it deliver? Kairam explores how the film spends nearly two hours building Tina's transformation from a hunter tribe boy to an atheist, and finally to the ultimate devotee Kanappa. While praising the meaningful roles given to the star cast and the film's ambitious visual scale shot in New Zealand, he critiques the dull and uninspired first half that feels more like a TV serial than a cinematic experience.

The review highlights how the film finally finds its footing in the last 50 minutes during the emotional and spiritual climax we know from the lore. Kairam appreciates Stephen Devassy's fresh musical compositions and the lyrical beauty provided by Ramajogayya Shastri, Sirivennela, and Ashok Deva that reminds us why Telugu is such a poetic language. From forced dialogues and familiar tropes to moments of genuine devotional power, Kanappa emerges as a film where unadulterated bhakti might have been enough, but sadly needed more than just that. While acknowledging the film's visual ambitions and spiritual themes, this review emphasizes how Kanappa struggles with pacing and organic storytelling despite its noble intentions.