Revisiting Athanokkade (2005): Review + Interesting Facts + Daaku Maharaj Reaction + Thandel Reaction

Credits

Banner: NTR Arts

Cast: Kalyan Ram, Sindhu Tonali, Prakash Raj, Asish Vidyardhi, Brahmanandam, Venu Madhav, Chandra Mohan, Surya, Ajay, Ramireddy, Chalapati Rao, Ahuti Prasad, GV Sudhakar, Raghu Babu, Dharmavarapu Subramanyam, Devi Charan, Rajya Lakshmi, Pinky Sudeepa

Music: Mani Sharma

Dialogues: Marudhuri Raja

Lyrics: Chandrabose, Sai Sri Harsha, Chinni Charan & Bandaru Danayya

Cinematographer: C Ram Prasad

Art: P Narayana Reddy

Stunts: Stun Siva

Story - Screenplay - Direction: Surender Reddy

Producer: Janakiram Nandamuri

Theatrical release date: 7th May 2005

Interesting Facts

• After working as an assistant director for 9 years, Surender Reddy readied a story to make his debut as a director and through director Sagar met NTR. 
• The person who have appointment was Sagar’s apprentice VV Vinayak 
• NTR heard the story but he was fully busy but if possible let’s work together for next movie (kudirithe next movie cheddam) 
• Take this story to my brother Kalyan ram and so he met Kalyan Ram. As said before his first two movies flopped. With 3rd film have to get success at any cost. 
• Surender Reddy narrated the story for 15 minutes and Kalyan liked the story elements and said let’s do this film, please work on the script. Then he came back and told hi the full story and said I dont like it, then he took another 6 months to work on the script and then the final version came and he okayed the movie, 
• They already told it to Harikrishna garu, he said bagundi manchi break vasthadi, go ahead 
• When thinking of procure, if we do it another producers banner, this story shouldn’t have any limits, we should do what we like and start our own banner, sat with Harikrishna, Jananki Ram and NTR and finally they felt putting it on NTR name would be good and thus they started NTR arts banner. 
• Cast and crew ready and on November 15th, 2004 movie was launched at Annapurna Studios. 
• They wanted Prakash Raj for a small role but he didnt have dates then NTR gave reference and he did the movie 
• Annapurna Studios, Aluminum Factory, Shankarpalli Highway, Ramanaidu Cine Village, and Ramoji Film city shooting Motham ayypoyindi 
• March 25th, 2005 hit the gummadikaya. Budget was 8 crores. Then April 9th 2005 audio was launched 
• May 7th, 2006 with 72 prints movie was released. First scene audience were shocked, hero intro scene, heroine villains plan chesthe hero chamapadam, interval scene. 
• Reverse screenplay technique worked wonders and a lot of similar followed this same screenplay technique. 
• Kalyam Ram became a star, Surender Reddy became a star director, first hit on NTR banner Arts 
• After 3 weeks, increased to 100 prints 
• Ran for 50 days in 80 centers, 100 days in 46 centers and collected more than 20 crores gross 
• Bhadra, Narasimhudu and Andarivaadu released within 3 week gap of Athanokkade otherwise it would have collected more. 
• Remade in Tamil as Aathi with Thalapathy Vijay and Trisha 
• Ashsih Vidyarthi won Best Villain Filmfare award and Surender reddy won Best Debut Director Nandi Award