Aditya 369

The release and success of Kalki has again started interest in films made across time range and dealing with past, present and future and having some known characters as well.

This genre of so-called science fiction got a shot in arm with HG wells- novel The Time machine and later Hollywood films like Back to Future, Total Recall, The planet of apes took it further. In India Telugu film industry was pioneer in creating a successful time travel film and it was Aditya 369-directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao-released in 1991.

This fascinating film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna in the lead role and stars Hindi film actor Tinnu Anand who creates a Time Machine. Then there is an evil Raja (Amrish Puri) who wants to collect all fascinating and antique stuff including the prized diamond from Raja Krishnadeva Rai's era. The film takes a twist when Balakrishna along with heroine Mohini enters the time machine and travels across 4th dimension to land in Vijayanagar in the era of KrishnaDeva Rai (played again by Balakrishna).

What follows next is interesting twists and turns which ensure action, comedy, song, and dance.

The film takes inspiration from The Time machine, Total Recall and has inspiration from Bollywood big hit Mr. India and the famous science fiction series of Door Darshan Indradhanush, Space city Sigma but the product really works very well. The direction and script is very tight and not much lose ends. The sequences of Vijayanagar era are best and stay after the film is over. The future scenes look tacky, but the concept is shown well. Balakrishna plays the lead part quite ok and relies more on action and comedy. However, as the legendary ruler Krishnadeva he looks great and acted very well, maybe inspired by his legendary dad NTRs portrayal of Rai in the Tenali Raman movie. Bollywood actors Amrish Puri(who dubbed his own dialogues) and Tinnu Anand are perfectly cast. It's kind of ironical that though the film in parts has inspiration from Shekhar Kapur's Mr. India, Kapur's dream film of time travel-Time Machine (Aamir Khan, Naseer, Rekha, Raveena and Vijay Anand) never got complete.

On the whole Aditya 369 is a pioneer entertaining science fiction Indian film whose impact can be seen later in films!!

I still wonder how there wrote the script, implemented in a right way, and they managed not to make in a complicated way, kid to old grand parents every person will enjoy the movie ....

Great movie and superb acting and great technicians.

I think this movie is highly underrated in those times. This movie is not only great but also strongly nostalgic especially srikrishnadeva raya part and classical song. Every artist did their performance at best. Songs are too great.

This movie begins with a scientist Prof.Ramdas(tinu anand) doing vigorous experiments to invent a time machine.He becomes successful.His daughter hema(played by Mohini) and her fiancée Krishna Kumar(played by balakrishna) accidentally get into the time machine and visit the past(time of krishnadeva raya's empire).This movie has been developed on the lines of "back to the future" movies but is very well made with regards to regionalism.The story revolves around one more important aspect,the diamond in a museum.A person named Raja Verma(Amrish Puri)has a queer hobby of collecting valuables all over the world,makes and attempt to rob the diamond in the present and that is seen by a kid who happens to be there at that time.Science fiction lovers would love this one.The special effects were really good when compared to that time.Screen play and dialouges were crisp and captivating.The actors have given a good performance.Soundtrack given by Mastero Ilayaraja is simply brilliant.Aditya 369 always remains an all time favorite movie for me!