‘They Would Yell, Threatened To Kill Me’ Kannappa Actor Vishnu Manchu On Mohanlal And Prabhas Doing His Film For Free

Telugu actor Vishnu Manchu is gearing up for the release of his ambitious mythological drama Kannappa. But what’s stealing the spotlight isn’t just the film’s massive Rs 200 crore budget; it’s also making headlines because some of the star cast worked for free.

In a recent interview with SCREEN, Vishnu revealed that Mohanlal and Prabhas did the film without charging a rupee despite their superstar status. 

Kannappa Actor Vishnu Manchu On Mohanlal And Prabhas

He shared, “Both Prabhas and Mohanlal didn’t take a single penny to do the role. Every time I ask them to quote their fees, they would yell at me. They will say - Itne bade aadmi hogaye ho ki humein paise doge? Mohanlal said you grew up around me and today you dare to pay me for my work? Prabhas threatened to kill me.”

Vishnu has been in the film industry for over two decades, but he admits his stardom doesn’t compare to the likes of Prabhas or Mohanlal. To make Kannappa a true pan-India spectacle, he knew he needed powerful names. Backed by his father, veteran actor Mohan Babu, Vishnu depended on long-standing friendships and goodwill to bring the vision to life.

He added, “Mohanlal didn’t even blink before saying yes. He agreed in less than a minute out of love and respect for my father.” 

As for Prabhas, the Baahubali star came on board without asking for any details. Vishnu said, “He’s not just a friend, he’s one of the biggest stars in Asia. But when I said I needed his presence to make my film reach further, he immediately agreed.”

Mohanlal went a step further by offering to pay for his own travel to New Zealand for the shoot. He told Vishnu he would handle his flight bookings himself and only requested accommodation for him and his team, showing just how grounded he is despite his superstar status.

Akshay Kumar Reduced His Fee

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar also joined the cast, though not on the same terms. Vishnu admitted, “He didn’t waive off his fee entirely, but he took far less. We weren’t even friends before this project.”

While Vishnu was grateful for the star power, he had to make some tough edits. Explaining the need to tighten the film’s length, he said, “We shot Prabhas for 34 minutes, but we had to cut six minutes. We trimmed about 7 minutes from Mohanlal’s sequence, too. These were sacrifices we had to make.”

Vishnu also made sure each star had a well-written role. “I didn’t take them for granted. I wanted their roles to be meaningful, not just cameos. For Prabhas especially, this role is going to be a milestone in his career,” he said.

For the unversed, Kannappa hits theatres worldwide on June 27.