Theft threatens mythological epic’s release as police launch probe into missing hard disk from production office in Hyderabad
In a shocking development just weeks ahead of the film’s release, a hard disk containing unreleased and confidential footage of the highly anticipated mythological film Kannappa has reportedly been stolen. The incident has been confirmed to have occurred under the jurisdiction of the Film Nagar Police Station in Hyderabad.
According to a report by Sakshi.com, the hard disk was dispatched by Hive Studios, a VFX vendor based in Mumbai, and sent via DTDC courier to the office of Twenty Four Frames Factory Private Limited in Filmnagar. The parcel reached its destination on Sunday, May 25. As per courier records, it was received by a staff member named Raghu, who in turn handed it over to a woman identified as Charitha.
However, Charitha has since gone missing, and so has the hard disk. Reddy Vijaykumar, a representative of Twenty Four Frames Factory, has filed a formal complaint with local authorities, alleging that Charitha disappeared with the intention of sabotaging the film project. The stolen hard disk reportedly contains highly sensitive and unreleased footage critical to the production and completion of Kannappa.
Reddy emphasized that the disappearance of this data could lead to massive financial losses and irreparable damage to the project, especially if the contents are leaked or erased. He urged the authorities to track down the missing hard disk and return it to the production team without delay.
Vishnu Manchu Visits Jharkhand Temple Amid Crisis
As the theft investigation unfolds, Kannappa’s lead actor and producer, Vishnu Manchu, was seen seeking spiritual solace. He visited the sacred Shree Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga temple in Deoghar, Jharkhand. Sharing moments from his pilgrimage on X (formerly Twitter), Vishnu wrote: “Visited Shree Baba Baidyanath Jyotirlinga – a divine moment at one of Shiva’s holiest abodes. Har Har Mahadev.” He captioned the post with hashtags: #HarHarMahadev #Kannappa.
About Kannappa
Directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, Kannappa is a mythological epic inspired by the story of the legendary devotee of Lord Shiva. The film stars Vishnu Manchu in the titular role and boasts a stellar ensemble cast including Mohanlal, Prabhas, Kajal Aggarwal, and Akshay Kumar, who is making his Telugu cinema debut. Initially slated for release on April 25, the film’s new release date is June 27.
The Kannappa team, including actor-producer Mohan Babu, Prabhu Deva, and executive producer Vinay Maheshwari, recently met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to present a glimpse of the film’s production and seek support for the epic.
As anticipation builds for the release, the film’s fate now hinges on the successful recovery of the stolen hard disk and resolution of the ongoing investigation.
Sources By Agencies
