‘Aditya 369,’ the time travel movie that hit the screens 30 years ago on 18th July 1991, was much more than a commercial success. It was one of the very first Sci-Fi movies in India, which left the audience enthralled.
It was indeed the first time the unique concept of time travel had hit the Indian silver screen, reminisced the Producer, Director, and Lead Actor of the movie, as they fondly shared details about the film.
The background
Director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao, who had already directed groundbreaking films such as ‘Pushpaka Vimana,’ ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal (Vichitra Sodarulu),’ had a unique story prepared for a while. The movie’s concept of time travel was not explored before in Indian Cinema at that time.
One fine day, traveling along with the late legendary singer S.P.Balasubrahmanyam, Mr. Singeetam narrated his story. S.P. Balu was immediately impressed.
Actually, S. P. Balasubrahmanyam was so taken with the story that he summoned Producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad the very next day to come and see him. He then asked him to go and meet Singeetam Srinivasa Rao to hear the story for himself. Producer Krishna Prasad, related to the singing legend S.P, had only one movie (Peddodu-Chinnodu) to his credit at the time. But he was bold.
Casting
Only Nandamuri Balakrishna can play the dual roles as Krishna Prasad and Emperor Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu, said producer Krishna Prasad, as he heard the plot narrated to him.
And Balakrishna too okayed it as soon as he heard it. Not only was the actor left impressed by the unique story, but he was also keen to play the role of Emperor Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu, that his father, the legendary N.T.Rama Rao had played decades ago in the movies ‘Tenali Ramakrishna’ and ‘Maha Mantri Timmarusu.’
‘The producer was young and was almost a newcomer, but he was brave to have proceeded with such a unique story,’ said Balakrishna, speaking of the film. If the Producer was brave, the Director too was passionate, he said. It was also the first time the scenes were shot with a VHS camera and then transferred to the negatives for special effects, he said.
While Balakrishna played dual roles, Heroine was almost a newcomer to the Industry, Mohini. Tinnu Anand played the Heroine’s father, an absent-minded Scientist who invents the time machine.
Chandra Mohan played Tenali Ramakrishna, the famed poet at the Emperor’s court.
Amrish Puri played the villain Raja Verma, who would go to any lengths to possess unique items, whether it be a diamond or a time machine.
Tarun played the boy who witnesses a robbery in the Museum by Raja Verma’s goons and gets rescued by Balakrishna. He also accidentally sets off the time machine to the past, sending Hero, Heroine, and a bumbling police constable back to the times of Emperor Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu.
Silk Smitha played the role of a dancer at the court of Sri Krishna Deva Rayalu, and Chalapathi Rao played the Emperor’s Army chief with a touch of negative shade.
Ilayaraja composed the music, and Jandhyala wrote the dialogues.
Sundaram Master was the dance director but was assisted by Prabhu Deva and Raju Sundaram. Raju Sundaram composed the moves for the dance competition between the Heroine and the Emperor court’s dancer Silk Smitha.
The movie would not have materialized without the late S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, according to both Producer Sivalenka Krishna Prasad and Director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao.
That is why the movie was ‘Presented by S.P.Balasubrahmanyam’ and produced by Sridevi Movies.
Producer Krishna Prasad went on to do more movies with Balakrishna, such as ‘Vamsanikokkadu,’ ‘Bhalevadivi Basu,’ and ‘Mitrudu.’