Hyderabad, Nov 23 (IANS): On actor and producer Vishnu Manchu’s birthday, the makers of his upcoming epic 'Kannappa' unveiled a grand poster. He is depicted as a mighty warrior-devotee of Lord Shiva with a bow, firing arrows in a mystical forest before a Shivling.

Based on the story of the legendary Kannappa who is renowned as one of the greatest bhakts of Shiva ever, the poster does justice to the majesty and grandeur of the film's epic scale.

Unveiling the poster on his X account, he captioned: "Step into the world of 'Kannappa' where the journey of an atheist Warrior to becoming Lord Shiva’s ultimate devotee comes to life."

Speaking about bringing his dream project to life, the 'Ginna' actor said: "Creating Kannappa has been a journey etched in blood, sweat and tears. An atheist warrior’s journey to becoming the biggest devotee of lord shiva. The warrior in the mystical forest is a reflection of what we set out to make - a visceral experience born from the heart."

80 per cent of the film has been shot in New Zealand, which has been the prime location for shooting most epic films. Director Peter Jackson's iconic 'The Lord Of the Rings' trilogy is an example.

To add to the grandeur, 'Kannappa' also boasts of some of the biggest superstars from South: Mohan Babu, Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Prabhas, among others with Vishnu Manchu taking centre stage as the revered figure.

A truly epic project, the film boasts some state-of-the art VFX, blending immersive storytelling featuring a narrative driven by introspection and transformation, from an atheist into a warrior devotee, and one of the 63 revered Nayanars.

Helmed by Mukesh Kumar Singh, the movie’s cinematography has been handled by Hollywood cinematographer Sheldon Chau.