Ankhon Dekhi

Rajat Kapoor has always fascinated me: with his acting, directing & even writing. His Raghu Romeo was a good project. His roles in Dil Chahta Hai & Monsoon Wedding upped the ante. Ankhon Dekhi could just be his magnum opus.

Sanjay Mishra's character is the protagonist; troubled with life's ways, troubled with the monotony, he starts introspecting as his daughter's love affair is known about. He realizes that nothing can be believed to be right until you see it with your eyes, ankhon dekhi. What follows is a myriad number of references about a man's life: his birth, his family, his kids, his work & his thought. What the plot tries to suggest is the idiosyncrasy we all possess and that it is all different for different people. It may force people to ape others, but that is not the right way.

With beautiful vocals & music by Kailash Kher, brilliant cinematography & marvelous direction, Ankhon Dekhi is perhaps Bollywood's best film this year, so far. The performances is the best thing about it; each & every cast member is so involved with their characters, that I was taken aback when a supporting actor playing the mother of a boy who is diagnosed with a disorder, enacts the relief when he ails out of it. Her expression & conduct all were absolutely mesmerizing. Plus, the brotherly relationship is talked about, with respect to joint families. It showcases the Indian which we had thought is lost; perfectly captured Delhi streets & chawls; fantastic photography.

The climax is equally haunting and is free for interpretation to viewers; ends with a bang & so sharply expresses a man's views. It mixes wonder with reality & does it right.

BOTTOM LINE: Highly recommended because this is no ordinary cinema. This is a masterwork.

Bauji, a man in his fifties decides to only believe the facts which he sees by his own eyes or feels them and then starts a beautiful yet surprising journey to discover the real meaning of life or to discover himself. There are so many scenes where you literally feel the art of cinema. Without showing any unnecessary dance sequences and cheap dialogues, the film quickly dissolves you in its cinematic mood. It's a gem which will attain cult status after so many years. Rajat Kapoor, the man behind this masterpiece should be appreciated for his devotion towards cinema. Every scene has its details and a meaning which is too deep. Every dialogue is witty as well as thought provoking. Music sets the real mood and cinematography is mind-blowing. "Sab Kuch Yahi Hai, Aankhe Khol Kar Dekho"

Never seen such a perfect and accurate cinematography in any Indian film. The humorous instances during the movie give us an open chance to think what we are doing and what we should do. They play with our thoughts and beliefs. Sanjay Mishra has given a performance which can not be explained in words, along with Rajat Kapoor and the rest of the cast.

For me, this film scores in every field of cinema. Direction, art design, music, cinematography, screenplay and performances and i know i can watch it a million times. It will leave you stunned and surprised in the ending. I clapped for about two minutes as the ending credits rolled. A cinematic achievement and should not be missed. Beautiful and intelligent drama.

A brilliant watch.

10 out of 10, UNDOUBTEDLY.

Thought provoking films have always been an important feature of our Regional Cinema since the beginning and Hindi film-makers have also delivered many worth watching gems in this particular genre in the past (especially before the 90s). But even then, very rarely we have seen a film which comes up with a fine blend of both entertaining as well as enlightening moments in its beautifully executed narration, reaching out to the audience individually in more than one unique manner.

Writer-Actor-Director Rajat Kapoor's ANKHON DEKHIis a perfect example of such rare, not to be missed precious cinema. And as suggested by its name, the film simply needs to be seen, felt and enjoyed at the earliest instead of just being read about, discussed or pre-judged by its various appreciative reviews written by different critics.

Actually films like ANKHON DEKHI should not be ideally reviewed in the usual manner since they are certainly going to have many distinctive meanings or interpretations for different viewers (as per their own viewpoints), which in fact can easily be stated as the film's real beauty too required to be kept intact. For instance where a few might enjoy it just as a light, feel-good comedy revolving around a lower middle class family, there for others it may turn out to be a highly transforming experience, giving them a new bright insight into their own struggling life, demanding many major changes.

So with many thanks to Rajat Kapoor (writer-actor-director), Manish Mundra (producer), Seema Mishra (Bauji's wife), the entire supporting cast, music, background score & art department along with the emotionally touching & exceptionally terrific Sanjay Mishra as Bauji, I would like to strongly recommend ANKHON DEKHI to one and all as a rare meaningful achievement not to be missed.

With a sincere wish that every reader of this honest write-up watches ANKHON DEKHI and many more movies like these like a true seeker, I would like to end here hoping that may you also find your own precious SATORI in those two meditative hours in the dark spent with Bauji. And may we all live a more contended, loving and thankful life in the future, forgetting this silly mad race for money, luxuries and power (to the extent they certainly deserve to be forgotten).

It is a story of a man who begins to think philosophically and feels within himself the reality of life of seeing and believing in those things which normally an average man wouldn't think of treading into finding realism in several 'minute' issues like hearing the roar of a tiger, flying like a bird… Raje Bauji (Sanjay Mishra} is a man in his late fifties, living out a dreary but eventful life in a small house in old Delhi- where he lives with his extended family. An executive in a travel agency, head of his family lives a typical middle class, happy, content life with his younger brother's family.

A random incident is going to change his life in a dramatic way, though he does not realize at the moment.

Bauji's daughter has been seeing a boy of ill repute. When that fact is revealed to the family, after much deliberation they decide to do the obvious – lock up the girl and go beat the willful boy.

Taking a cop along with them to warn the 'laundiya baaz' (means – a womanizer as labelled by other people), Bauji realizes that the boy isn't that bad as as the terrible reputation formed by the people around him. Ajju is exactly opposite of what he had heard about him. This incident gets him to think that what is being heard and talked about any thing or a person, isn't exactly what is the truth behind it.

Bauji leaves his job and decides to stay at home, rather than 'mislead or cheat the clients' thats what he thought.

It is a funny old journey of this man, this old fool- who is both Lear and the fool.

It is an excellent flick that is on my favorite list, like Sadma, Simon Brich, Hachiko, Lawrence of Arabia, Gangoobai, Iqbal, etc. Its is kind of flick I prefer to watch. It is a logical drama masterpiece of Rajat Sir, I am big fan of your film, long ago. There are very reality based scenes in film that I can only imagine, like when the younger brother moving out the transfer of luggage from roof top to the new house is amazing, the body languages of all characters in whole movie was marvelous, the Shadi scene when all sitting in pooja and the son of pujari came back and forth telling the current events in tents happened at that real time was outstanding, even pujari's son character has a real existence in our society. It took a long and intense kind of observation and create a plot on these kind of happenings is a great achievement. Finally, hats off. Also, in the end, its an excellent recommendations from IMDb to let me know what should I deserve to watch. Thanks for this wonderful art work.