Vishnu Manchu accuses brother Manoj in 'Kannapa's hard disk theft case

The upcoming mythological drama Kannappa, starring Vishnu Manchu, has landed in controversy just weeks ahead of its scheduled release on June 27. In a surprising turn of events, the film’s hard disk containing crucial footage has been reported stolen and Vishnu has now hinted at the possible involvement of people linked to his own brother, actor Manchu Manoj.

During a promotional event for Kannappa held in Chennai on Friday, Vishnu opened up about the sensitive situation. He alleged that the stolen hard disk, which carried nearly 70 minutes of color-graded visuals including major action and VFX scenes, went missing after being sent from a Mumbai-based studio to their Film Nagar office in Hyderabad.

Vishnu revealed that an office boy named Raghu, reportedly linked to Manchu Manoj’s team, was the last known person to have received the package. “I suspect Raghu is employed by my brother Manchu Manoj. But I’m not sure if Raghu stole the hard disk on my brother’s command,” Vishnu said, adding that Raghu handed over the drive to a woman named Charitha, also believed to be a staff member of Manoj.

According to Vishnu, the hard drive is password-protected and not easy to break into. However, concerns remain that the footage may still be leaked online. Vishnu has urged fans and the general public not to watch any pirated or leaked content if it surfaces.

Following a formal complaint filed by an executive producer of Vishnu’s production house 24 Frames Factory, a case was registered at the Filmnagar Police Station on May 25. The FIR was filed under Section 316(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal breach of trust. Police confirmed that both Raghu and Charitha are under investigation, and efforts are being made to recover the stolen material.

Kannappa is a high-budget epic directed by Mukesh Kumar Singh and produced under AVA Entertainment and 24 Frames Factory. With its release date inching closer, the team is racing against time to ensure the film stays on track despite the unexpected setback.