There's no denying the fact that Premaloka was one of the most popular films of the 1980's. It emerged as a big hit and established then newcomer Ravichandran as a force to be reckoned with
While everyone is aware of its impact on Sandalwood, not many know that it indirectly played a role in preparing its leading lady Juhi Chawla for her popular Hindi film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak.
Juhi had once said that working on the film was similar to going to an acting school as the team featured newcomers. She further said that the experience prepared her for QSQT as the film too had a young cast.
"In South Indian films, one gets to learn so much. My 45-day shoot for Premaloka ensured that going on the set of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was a cakewalk," she had told the Times of India.
Premaloka, which marked Ravichandran's debut as director, was a romantic musical that had shades of the Hollywood movie Grease 2. It revolved around a young man, played by the 'Crazy Star', who poses as a biker to impress a female classmate. Its songs, which were composed by then newcomer Hamsalekha, became a rage and soon attained cult status. The Nodamma Hudugi track was later reused in SMS 6260, starring Diganth.
Premaloka was shot simultaneously in Tamil as Paruva Ragam with Ravichandran and Juhi reprising their roles from the Kannada version
Coming to the present, the mass hero remains a force to be reckoned with despite the emergence of younger stars. He was last seen in Aa Drushya, a remake of the Tamil thriller D 16. It was directed by Siva Ganesh and featured the veteran actor in the role of a cop. The film received rave reviews for its presentation.
Ravichandran will next be seen in Kannadiga, directed by Giriraj.
Juhi, on the other hand, will soon be seen in Sharmaji Namkeen. The film reunites her with her Bol Radha Bol co-star the late Rishi Kapoor and is the final release of Chintuji's career.