Chennai: Actor Vishnu Manchu has alleged that his brother, actor Manchu Manoj, is behind the disappearance of a hard disk containing crucial footage from the upcoming film Kannappa. Speaking to the media in Chennai on Friday during a promotional event for the film, Vishnu levelled serious accusations, claiming that individuals identified as Raghu and Charitha, who are allegedly associated with Manoj, were responsible for the theft.

The incident reportedly occurred about four weeks ago. Vishnu stated that despite multiple attempts to contact Manoj and his associates, there was no response, prompting him to lodge a police complaint. While addressing the media, he requested restraint in probing into family matters, emphasising that personal disputes should not overshadow the film’s promotional activities. “Every family has its issues. I do not wish to discuss ours during this event,” he said.

Vishnu explained that VFX work for Kannappa is being coordinated across multiple offices in Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Dubai, and London. The missing hard disk, which was dispatched from Mumbai, had arrived at their father Mohan Babu’s residence in Film Nagar—where packages for the three brothers are typically delivered and collected by their respective teams.

According to Vishnu, the hard disk was handed over to Raghu and Charitha at the Film Nagar residence, after which they disappeared. “Everyone is aware of the tensions within our family. We attempted to reach out to Manoj through mutual friends but to no avail. Whether this was an act of theft or done under someone’s instructions, we’re not sure. That’s why we filed a complaint,” he said.

Vishnu added that the hard disk was password-protected and that bypassing its security would be nearly impossible. “Even if they manage to leak the footage, I sincerely urge people not to watch it. So much effort has gone into the making of this film,” he appealed.

Directed by Bollywood filmmaker Mukesh Kumar Singh, Kannappa marks Singh’s Telugu directorial debut. Apart from Vishnu Manchu, the film boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Mohanlal, Prabhas, Akshay Kumar, Mohan Kumar and Kajal Aggarwal.