Chennai, April 8 (IANS) Telugu star Vishnu Manchu along with the team of his eagerly awaited film ‘Kannappa’ met spiritual leader Bageshwar Dham Sarkar (Bageshwar Baba), Shri Dhirendra Krishna Shastriji on Tuesday.

With the much-anticipated mythological epic Kannappa gearing up for release, Vishnu Manchu is doing more than promotions — he's surrendering to a spiritual calling.

The meeting with Bageshwar Baba comes at a time when ‘Kannappa’, the story of Lord Shiva’s fiercest and most unlikely devotee, is poised to ignite conversations and consciousness across the country.

During their meeting, Bageshwar Dham Sarkar blessed the team of ‘Kannappa’, including lead actor Vishnu Manchu, director Mukesh Kumar Singh, and the film’s antagonist Arpit Ranka. He spoke at length about the greatness of the devotee Kannappa and watched glimpses of the film, appreciating its vision.

He praised the effort to bring Indian culture and ancient stories to the forefront through cinema, stating that such films must be made and should reach the masses.

Bageshwar Baba emphasized that there was no need to imitate Western narratives when Indian mythology held such immense depth and beauty. He lauded South Indian cinema for staying rooted in tradition and expressed excitement to watch the film, ‘Kannappa’, once it was completed. He also extended his heartfelt blessings and best wishes for the film’s success.

Vishnu will continue his Jyotirlinga Yatra, a sacred pilgrimage to the twelve holiest shrines of Lord Shiva—each one believed to be a living, breathing vortex of divine energy. This yatra is not just symbolic; it’s deeply personal. It echoes the journey of Kannappa himself, a man who begins as an atheist and ultimately offers his eyes to Shiva in a moment of pure, unshakable love.

Vishnu just visited the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirling temple in Maharashtra today, marking yet another divine step in this spiritual journey.

This yatra is already well underway, with Vishnu having visited six of the 12 Jyotirlingas: Kedarnath in Uttarakhand, Mahakaleshwar and Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh, Somnath and Nageshwar in Gujarat, and now Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra. The road ahead still calls him to Bhimashankar and Grishneshwar in Maharashtra, Kashi Vishwanath in Uttar Pradesh, Vaidyanath in Jharkhand, Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh, and Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.

Kannappa is a historical epic that narrates the story of the legendary devotee of Lord Shiva. With a stellar cast and breathtaking visuals, the film promises to leave a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. Vishnu Manchu stars as ‘Kannappa’, alongside Preity Mukhundhan, with powerhouse performances by Mohanlal, Akshay Kumar, Prabhas, and Kajal Aggarwal. The film, which was originally slated for release on April 25, has been slightly delayed. A fresh release date is to be announced soon.