Aankhen is a 2002 Indian heist thriller film directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, and Arjun Rampal. The plot revolves around a bank manager who recruits three visually impaired men to rob his own bank, but things take unexpected turns when the men decide to outsmart their own boss. The film was a commercial success and received critical acclaim for its performances and plot.
Aankhen was a remake of a 1993 Gujarati film of the same name, which was also directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.
The film's soundtrack, composed by Aadesh Shrivastava, was well-received and featured popular songs like "Gustakhiyan" and "Chalka Chalka Re".
Amitabh Bachchan won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film, while Arjun Rampal won the award for Best Supporting Actor. The film also received nominations in several other categories.
Aankhen was a box office success, becoming the third-highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2002. It also had a significant impact on pop culture in India, with many of its dialogues and scenes becoming popular memes and references in later years.
The film's success led to a sequel, Aankhen 2, being announced in 2016, but the project has been in development limbo for several years.
The film was shot in a real bank in Mumbai, which added to the authenticity of the heist scenes.
Aankhen was Sushmita Sen's comeback film after a brief hiatus, and her performance as a seductive and cunning woman was widely appreciated.
The film was initially offered to Shah Rukh Khan, who declined the role due to creative differences with the director. Akshay Kumar then stepped in to play the lead role of Vijay Singh Rajput.
Aankhen marked the directorial debut of Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who went on to direct several other successful films, including Namastey London, Singh Is Kinng, and Commando.
Thefilm's climax scene, which involved a high-speed car chase, was filmed on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, and required a special permit from the government to shoot.
Aankhen was also dubbed in Telugu and released as "Netraam" in 2003, starring Chiranjeevi and Sada in lead roles.
Aankhen was widely appreciated for its innovative storyline and the use of visually-impaired characters as the protagonists of the film. The film was praised for its sensitive portrayal of blindness and the way it showed the characters overcoming their disabilities to achieve their goals.
The film was a major turning point in Akshay Kumar's career, establishing him as a versatile actor who could play both action and dramatic roles. Kumar's portrayal of the eccentric and unpredictable Vijay Singh Rajput was widely appreciated and is still remembered by audiences today.
Aankhen was one of the first Hindi films to feature a multi-starrer cast, with Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Sushmita Sen, and Arjun Rampal sharing equal screen time. The chemistry between the actors was widely appreciated and added to the film's appeal.
The film's success led to several offers for Amitabh Bachchan to play similar roles in other films, but he turned them down, saying that he did not want to repeat himself and wanted to challenge himself with different roles.
Aankhen was also remade in Tamil as "Andha Naal Nyabagam" in 2006, starring Arjun, Vindhya, and Raghuvaran in lead roles. However, the film was not as successful as the original.
Aankhen was critically acclaimed for its technical aspects, including its slick editing, stylish cinematography, and innovative use of sound design. The film was widely regarded as a milestone in the evolution of Indian commercial cinema.