Mohan Babu Reveals Missed Opportunity for Shivaraj Kumar in Kannappa
The film Kannappa, starring Manchu Vishnu and directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, is set to release on June 27. As part of its promotional campaign, the film's team visited Bengaluru. Actor and producer Mohan Babu, along with renowned Kannada actor Shivaraj Kumar, participated in the event.
During the interaction, Mohan Babu shared several noteworthy insights. He revealed that Shivaraj Kumar was originally approached to portray the role of Lord Shiva in Kannappa, but due to scheduling conflicts, he was unable to take part in the project. "When we think of the state of Karnataka and its people, we are reminded of Kannada icon Rajkumar. We seek his blessings for the film and for my son. I am not in a position to comment on his acting prowess. After Rajkumar, our closest associate here was Ambareesh. After his passing, I was hesitant to visit. But in life, nothing is permanent; we are all puppets guided by the divine," said Mohan Babu.
He emphasized that success or failure of a film lies beyond one’s control, and what truly matters is whether one has worked sincerely. Mohan Babu expressed a long-standing wish to act in a Kannada film, admitting that he never had the courage to ask Rajkumar for such an opportunity. He stated that he is now requesting Rajkumar's son, Shivaraj Kumar, to consider him for a villainous role in his next film.
“Rajkumar made Srikalahasteeshwara Mahatmyam, which was a sensational hit. I watched it multiple times. In that film, Rajkumar played Lord Shiva, and Shivaraj Kumar portrayed Kannappa. In Telugu, the role was performed by Krishnam Raju. After all these years, we are now remaking the story in Telugu. This is all divine will. Vishnu has been working on this story for the past seven or eight years. He took inspiration from the verses of the great poet Dhurjati, understood their essence, and developed the narrative. To recreate the ancient surroundings of Kalahasti, we traveled to New Zealand. We have made the film with utmost effort and devotion, and now we seek divine blessings and the support of the Kannada audience,” Mohan Babu explained.
Responding to this, Shivaraj Kumar stated that producing a mythological film in the current era requires great courage. “There is risk involved in retelling a well-known story. However, the visuals of this film are exceptional. Today's audiences are also embracing devotional and mythological films. I acted in three films with my father, all of which were superhits. Initially, I was afraid to take on the role of Kannappa alongside him, but I eventually developed a deep interest in the character—especially while performing the song ‘Neneella Neneella.’ I am pleased that Vishnu is retelling the same story after 37 years. My respect for him has only grown,” he said.
Shivaraj Kumar praised Mohan Babu, calling it commendable that a legendary actor and producer accepted the role in Kannappa. “Everyone visits Srikalahasti, but to portray it as a whole new world, the film team went all the way to New Zealand. That’s truly impressive. This movie will undoubtedly be a super-duper hit. I too was supposed to act in the film, but scheduling didn’t work out. Whatever Vishnu asks of me next, I will do,” he assured.
Addressing Mohan Babu’s mention of remuneration, Shivaraj Kumar replied, “That’s not a concern for me. Whether he pays me or not, I’ll still do it. We are all one family. He also asked to play a villain role in my film, but I won’t give him that role. There’s another character—a noble elder brother—which is a high-quality role. I don’t want to fight with him on screen. On June 27, I will buy a ticket and watch the film myself. I urge all of you to watch the film too,” he said.