| Aditya 369 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Singeetam Srinivasa Rao |
| Written by | Singeetam Srinivasa Rao |
| Dialogue by | |
| Produced by | S. Anitha Krishna S. P. Balasubrahmanyam (presenter) |
| Starring | Nandamuri Balakrishna Mohini |
| Cinematography | V. S. R. Swamy Kabir Lal |
| Edited by | Gowtam Raju |
| Music by | Ilayaraja |
Production company | |
Release date |
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Running time | 141 minutes |
| Country | India |
| Language | Telugu |
Aditya 369 is a 1991 Indian Telugu-language science fiction film written and directed by Singeetam Srinivasa Rao. The film stars Nandamuri Balakrishna and Mohini, with Amrish Puri, Tinnu Anand, Suthi Velu, Master Tarun, Chandra Mohan, and Silk Smitha in supporting roles. The music for the film was composed by Ilayaraja, and the dialogues were written by Jandhyala. Produced by S. Anitha Krishna under the Sridevi Movies banner, it was presented by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. Aditya 369 received critical acclaim and won two state Nandi Awards.
Aditya 369 is the first time-travel film in Indian cinema[1] and is regarded as an influential work in Indian science fiction.[2] The film blends elements of history and science fiction, with a storyline centered around a time machine, which transports passengers to different time periods, including 1526 CE and a post-apocalyptic future in 2504 CE. It explores themes such as technology, democracy, and warfare. The film was inspired by H. G. Wells' novella The Time Machine (1895), which director Singeetam Srinivasa Rao read in college. The historical segments are set during the reign of Vijayanagara emperor Sri Krishnadevaraya (r. 1509–1529), while the futuristic elements were researched by the director at the American Library in Madras.
The film was made on a budget of approximately ₹1.60 crore and took about 110 days to shoot. Three cinematographers worked on the film, each handling different time periods. P. C. Sreeram shot the present-day scenes but had to leave due to health issues. V. S. R. Swamy took over the historical scenes, and Kabir Lal filmed the futuristic ones. The film was also dubbed in Hindi as Mission 369 and Tamil as Apoorva Sakthi 369.
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- Banerji, Debashish; Md Monirul Islam; Sengupta, Samrat, eds. (10 December 2024). Posthumanism and India: A Critical Cartography. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 115–116. ISBN 978-93-6131-588-6.
The 1991 Telugu feature Aditya 369 is another notable example in the genre. It is the first time-travel film made in India.
- Wallace, Kali (14 August 2024). "Aditya 369: Diamond Thieves, Dance-Offs, and Derring-do". Reactor. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
India's first time travel film gleefully blends genres, history, and musical numbers as it bounces between the past, future, and present.
- Goyal, Samarth (30 December 2021). "Best Indian Movies Dealing With Dystopia and Post Apocalypse". Outlook. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
The 1991 Telugu-language film is vastly considered the first Indian film ever based on the concept of time travel.
- Nyayapati, Neeshita (18 July 2018). "Balakrishna's famous sci-fi 'Aditya 369' turns 27 today". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019.
'Aditya 369' was considered to be the first time travel film made not just in the Telugu film industry, but also in India.
- Banerji, Debashish; Md Monirul Islam; Sengupta, Samrat, eds. (10 December 2024). Posthumanism and India: A Critical Cartography. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 115–116. ISBN 978-93-6131-588-6.
- ^
- Wallace, Kali (14 August 2024). "Aditya 369: Diamond Thieves, Dance-Offs, and Derring-do". Reactor. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
Aditya 369 is regarded as quite influential in Indian cinema precisely because it took a sci fi topic that Indian movies hadn't tackled before and integrated it so completely into the cavalier, genre-hopping style of Indian cinema.
- Ethamukkala, Hemachandra (25 March 2022). "From Nandamuri Balakrishna's 'Aditya 369' To 'Ismart Shankar' – Here's A Look At The Most Popular Science-Fiction South Indian Films!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
It was Singeetham Srinivas Rao's 'Aditya 369' that first tasted a huge success in Tollywood and it remains one of the all-time classics till today!
- Goyal, Samarth (30 December 2021). "Best Indian Movies Dealing With Dystopia and Post Apocalypse". Outlook. Archived from the original on 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
The 1991 Telugu-language film is vastly considered the first Indian film ever based on the concept of time travel.
- Nyayapati, Neeshita (18 July 2018). "Balakrishna's famous sci-fi 'Aditya 369' turns 27 today". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019.
'Aditya 369' was considered to be the first time travel film made not just in the Telugu film industry, but also in India.
- Wallace, Kali (14 August 2024). "Aditya 369: Diamond Thieves, Dance-Offs, and Derring-do". Reactor. Retrieved 28 December 2024.