Originally shot in black and white, a restored and colourized version was released in 2011.

The film was a massive hit in the Soviet Union, seen by over 15.4 million viewers .

The filming process was arduous and took two years because Ekaterina Savinova fell ill with brucellosis during production, which later contributed to her tragic death.

Played by Anatoli Papanov . Interestingly, while Papanov acted the role, his voice was dubbed by the director, Yevgeny Tashkov. Professor Sokolov: Played by Boris Bibikov . Natasha: Played by Antonina Maksimova. Notable Facts and Legacy