This movie is a typical David Dhawan fare. Be sure to turn off your brains while watching the movie. After that well the movie is pretty enjoyable and the gags are rather effective. Chunkey and Govinda are in a double role; as a result comedy of errors follows and hence laughter ensues. The supporting cast also fits in to the fullest. Kader Khan is at his best. The villains are pretty much dirtiest type a comedy can have and are rather menacing. Overall its a fun filled 3 hours ride, I would recommend it to anyone who can digest and enjoy Govinda-David Dhawan brand of humour. And yes look out for the monkey who's the third most important member of the cast.
11 Reviews
David's biggest hit and his most underrated hit.
eh5963-297-9673543 April 2012
When David Dhawan started his career, he had a few ups and downs...well mostly downs. His first 4 films bombed but he gave 2 hits in Shola Aur Shabnam and Bol Radha Bol. However, his first monster hit came in Aankhen.
Hasmukh Rai is a very wealthy man but is always upset with his buffoon sons, Munnu and Bunnu. (Chunkey Pandey-Govinda) The boys are good hearted but big troublemakers. They are spoiled brats who see the dark side of life when they witness a shootout. A shootout they have nothing to do with but a shootout that changes their lives.
Aankhen is a film that works with an interesting plot but scores due to other things working out more than the plot. The comedy in the first half and parts of the second half is still memorable to me. The chemistry of the two lead actors is first rate. Not to forget their chemistry with Kader Khan. There is even more comedy with a twist in the second half.
Also, the sequences featuring a minor love triangle between Kader Khan, Bindu and Saadishiv (Pyare Mohan) is thoroughly enjoyable. Not to forget the double role portions.
Flaws? The film does dip in pace a bit in the second half.
Music is fantastic. Love all the songs.
David Dhawan's direction is excellent. One of his best works.
The film belongs to Govinda and Chunkey Pandey. Especially Govinda in the second half. They make Aankhen what it is. Kader Khan is as always, fab! The villains in the movie are awesome. Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Raj Babbar are perfect.
Rest of the cast is great.
Overall - A film that never bores you when its on and one of the David Dhawan's most underrated flicks. Superb!
Hasmukh Rai is a very wealthy man but is always upset with his buffoon sons, Munnu and Bunnu. (Chunkey Pandey-Govinda) The boys are good hearted but big troublemakers. They are spoiled brats who see the dark side of life when they witness a shootout. A shootout they have nothing to do with but a shootout that changes their lives.
Aankhen is a film that works with an interesting plot but scores due to other things working out more than the plot. The comedy in the first half and parts of the second half is still memorable to me. The chemistry of the two lead actors is first rate. Not to forget their chemistry with Kader Khan. There is even more comedy with a twist in the second half.
Also, the sequences featuring a minor love triangle between Kader Khan, Bindu and Saadishiv (Pyare Mohan) is thoroughly enjoyable. Not to forget the double role portions.
Flaws? The film does dip in pace a bit in the second half.
Music is fantastic. Love all the songs.
David Dhawan's direction is excellent. One of his best works.
The film belongs to Govinda and Chunkey Pandey. Especially Govinda in the second half. They make Aankhen what it is. Kader Khan is as always, fab! The villains in the movie are awesome. Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Raj Babbar are perfect.
Rest of the cast is great.
Overall - A film that never bores you when its on and one of the David Dhawan's most underrated flicks. Superb!
Superb!
namashi_127 March 2011
1993's Biggest Box Office Hit, 'Aankhen' is a Superb film! Though I had seen it ages back, but, even today, the film manages to hold my attention. David Dhawan directs this Out-And-Out Time-Pass fare nicely, while the performances are memorable.
'Aankhen' tells the story of Two wealthy good-for-nothing kids, Munnu and Bunnu, played by Govinda & Chunky Pandey, who, get involved in a conspiracy to replace a Chief Minister with a lookalike by some corrupt government officials.
It's an entertaining film. In fact, the first hour is full of hilarious moments. The second hour becomes intense, but the interest remains alive in it's viewer. David Dhawan knows his job, and he proves it once again. Music by the legendary Bappi Lahiri, is foot-tapping.
Performance-Wise: Govinda is absolutely fantastic. He plays both the roles with unseen ease. Chunky Pandey does a good job. Raj Babbar is excellent. Kader Khan, Bindu & Sadashiv Amrapurkar, stand out. Shakti Kapoor shines. Gulshan Grover leaves a mark. Shilpa Shirodkar, Raageshwari & Ritu Shivpuri are passable.
On the whole, A Must Watch for those who enjoy Entertaining Cinema, where anything can happen. Two Thumbs Up!
'Aankhen' tells the story of Two wealthy good-for-nothing kids, Munnu and Bunnu, played by Govinda & Chunky Pandey, who, get involved in a conspiracy to replace a Chief Minister with a lookalike by some corrupt government officials.
It's an entertaining film. In fact, the first hour is full of hilarious moments. The second hour becomes intense, but the interest remains alive in it's viewer. David Dhawan knows his job, and he proves it once again. Music by the legendary Bappi Lahiri, is foot-tapping.
Performance-Wise: Govinda is absolutely fantastic. He plays both the roles with unseen ease. Chunky Pandey does a good job. Raj Babbar is excellent. Kader Khan, Bindu & Sadashiv Amrapurkar, stand out. Shakti Kapoor shines. Gulshan Grover leaves a mark. Shilpa Shirodkar, Raageshwari & Ritu Shivpuri are passable.
On the whole, A Must Watch for those who enjoy Entertaining Cinema, where anything can happen. Two Thumbs Up!
2 Govindas, 2 Raj Babbars, 2 Kader Khans
gurdeepmann593 July 2012
Warning: Spoilers
This film is a remake of DO PHOOL (1973)
Hasmukh Rai has two buffoon sons named Munnu and Bunnu The sons discover a plot to replace the Chief Minister with a fake one
Govinda's comedy is awesome which is what dominates the second half of the film The first half of the film is pure comedy with Govinda and Chunky but a twist in the angle is what makes the film good
Govinda and Chunky Pandey are brilliant and their chemistry is what makes Aankhen what it is Their chemistry with Kader Khan is amazing The villains are good Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Raj Babbar are brilliant
Hasmukh Rai has two buffoon sons named Munnu and Bunnu The sons discover a plot to replace the Chief Minister with a fake one
Govinda's comedy is awesome which is what dominates the second half of the film The first half of the film is pure comedy with Govinda and Chunky but a twist in the angle is what makes the film good
Govinda and Chunky Pandey are brilliant and their chemistry is what makes Aankhen what it is Their chemistry with Kader Khan is amazing The villains are good Shakti Kapoor, Gulshan Grover and Raj Babbar are brilliant
The first real Govinda- David comedy
sharankandhai27 July 2007
This movie has a lot of firsts. Although David Dhawan and Govinda had worked together before this was the first comedy the 2 made together which would be followed by all those hits. This was the first (and it happened only once more) that the competitors of those days Govinda and Chunky came together in a movie. Of course Govinda ate Chunky alive in his dual role. Finally this is one of the first times that a remake is actually better than the original which is a classic itself. AANKHEN is a remake of S. Raamanathan's DO PHOOL with Mahmood in Govinda's role and Vinod Mehra in Chunky's role. The heroine of the movie was Anjana Mumtaz, nowadays better known as the screenmother of Akshay Kumar. Kadar Khan in a dual role is also good as usual but (except for Govinda of course) the best in the movie is Sadashiv Amrapurkar in his FIRST comedy role. Raj Babbar is oke and Ritu Shivpuri (daughter of Om Shivpuri) is watchable. From the heroines Shilpa Shirodkar is the best. With the hitsongs LAL DUPATTE WALI AND ANGANA MEIN BABA
Fabulous 90s comedy
ashtray252 June 2015
Aankhen features Hasmukh Rai (Kader Khan), who sons Munnu (Chunkey Pandey) and Bunnu (Govinda) are spoilt, irresponsible youngsters whose only aim in life is to have fun at all costs. In the meanwhile Natwar Shah (Gulshan Grover) is a share broker who is behind bars for masterminding a massive stock market scam. Natwar's brother (the late Mahavir Shah) hires a gangster called Tejeshwar Singh (Shakti Kapoor) to help remove Natwar from jail and smuggle him abroad.
Munnu and Bunnu inadvertently find themselves entangled in the crosshairs of a diabolical conspiracy to replace the existing state chief minister (Raj Babbar) with his lookalike, who happens to be a member of Tejeshwar's gang. Their misadventure ends with Bunnu gone missing and all evidence pointing towards Munnu, even as the plan to replace the chief minister comes off.
Can the brother get to the bottom of it? Will they manage to thwart Tejeshwar and co? Will Natwar manage to escape the long arm of the law, or will justice catch up with him?
Unlike what the synopsis above might suggest, Aankhen is a comedy movie that never takes itself seriously. The performances are brilliant across the board, not least those of Govinda and veteran actor Sasadhiv Amrapurkar. There's also the small matter of 3 different characters having a doppelgänger- highly unusual even in a David Dhawan movie.
The highest grosser of 1993, Aankhen is a brainless caper which keeps you entertained from the first scene to the last. Leave your brains behind and watch this movie- its a hilarious little caper.
Munnu and Bunnu inadvertently find themselves entangled in the crosshairs of a diabolical conspiracy to replace the existing state chief minister (Raj Babbar) with his lookalike, who happens to be a member of Tejeshwar's gang. Their misadventure ends with Bunnu gone missing and all evidence pointing towards Munnu, even as the plan to replace the chief minister comes off.
Can the brother get to the bottom of it? Will they manage to thwart Tejeshwar and co? Will Natwar manage to escape the long arm of the law, or will justice catch up with him?
Unlike what the synopsis above might suggest, Aankhen is a comedy movie that never takes itself seriously. The performances are brilliant across the board, not least those of Govinda and veteran actor Sasadhiv Amrapurkar. There's also the small matter of 3 different characters having a doppelgänger- highly unusual even in a David Dhawan movie.
The highest grosser of 1993, Aankhen is a brainless caper which keeps you entertained from the first scene to the last. Leave your brains behind and watch this movie- its a hilarious little caper.
Bollywood Hallucination !
elshikh416 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
First of all, I can't hold it; Govinda is a turn off. That guy, while being acceptably comic some times, wants to do all; comedy, action, romance, melodrama, and singing. Well dear, you're not Amitabh Bachchan! I don't know for who he makes his unbelievable movies? Why doesn't he stick to comedies? God, would I live long enough to watch a good, sane, entertaining movie for him?!
Sure Aankhen isn't that movie at all. However, I kept laughing in front of it nearly all the time. Of course not for being funny, but for being idiot!
Originally it's a comedy, but it's full of blood; at extremely awful moment, a kid is being shot in a rare scene for a movie of that kind. It's not a melodrama, but at one of the strangest writing moves in history, the movie creates a lost-and-found theme with 2 look-alikes for the lead's father and the lead, and - try not to laugh - they are the father's twin brother and his son?? So, either the twin brothers married twin sisters to born identical sons (unlikely!), or one of the brothers slept with the other's wife to gave birth to twin kids that he stole one of them (likely!), or maybe the Hallucinogenic drug, that the writer was on, was so effective (as likely as not!). Another thing; this movie actually has an Indian god in it, the monkey, yet not as a wise adviser, but as an action figure. See how many precedents this movie has?!
Which reminds me: Did you see the monkey?! How it seemed like a cat with a terrible mask for a monkey?, and how it appears suddenly with the same outfit of the heroes? Did you see how Govinda turned out to be alive? Or how the thieves of his match did nothing but to shave him (Did you hear about thieves that shave their victim before?!), Did you see how Shakti Kapoor has a hate for wearing a shirt?, Did you see the unknown man who the fake Chief Minister shots in the hospital, the one standing behind Chunky Pandey?! WHO WAS THAT MAN? AND HOW HE, NEITHER PANDEY, COULDN'T SEE KAPOOR HIDDING UNDER THE CHAIR IN FRONT OF THEM???, and please, Did you see how Govinda killed the evil man brutally at the end (by throwing him to a plane's fan!!), while he could have been easily handed over to the police?!, most probably they would have executed him later by exposing him to a copy of this movie. On second thought, throw him to a plane's fan more mercifully!
Well, I can go forever with this "Did you see.." routine, since the idiot moments are endless, and forced is what this movie is all about. Still the most overblown one is the matter of the provincial look-alikes?!! I still ask, what was the need to that storyline?? This is one of the biggest mysteries I have ever met. But wait a second, is it "I have ever met" or "I have ever met in an Indian movie"? Because there is an important difference, since at the second the sky is the limit (even if it wasn't a fantasy!).
Despite that the editing pulled off forming a sane personality for a chain of absolutely crazy events, it's still so nervous movie. So with the overdone action, countless coincidences, Govinda, another totally incomprehensible and useless Govinda, a Rambo monkey (that wasn't meant for laughing), shouting everybody, and blood.. then it's a wild ride of Bollywood hallucination!
Near its end, I felt hysteria. And when I read that it was 1993's biggest Bollywood hit, I felt both mad and sad. You have to really pity the Indian moviegoers for loving such a movie that much. Mindless entertainment wasn't that mindless and unentertaining like that before. So how come a camp masterpiece, like Aankhen, IS a masterpiece for them at the moment?!
PS: Again, why all the bad Indian movies that I have watched has to belong to the decade of the 1990s?!
Sure Aankhen isn't that movie at all. However, I kept laughing in front of it nearly all the time. Of course not for being funny, but for being idiot!
Originally it's a comedy, but it's full of blood; at extremely awful moment, a kid is being shot in a rare scene for a movie of that kind. It's not a melodrama, but at one of the strangest writing moves in history, the movie creates a lost-and-found theme with 2 look-alikes for the lead's father and the lead, and - try not to laugh - they are the father's twin brother and his son?? So, either the twin brothers married twin sisters to born identical sons (unlikely!), or one of the brothers slept with the other's wife to gave birth to twin kids that he stole one of them (likely!), or maybe the Hallucinogenic drug, that the writer was on, was so effective (as likely as not!). Another thing; this movie actually has an Indian god in it, the monkey, yet not as a wise adviser, but as an action figure. See how many precedents this movie has?!
Which reminds me: Did you see the monkey?! How it seemed like a cat with a terrible mask for a monkey?, and how it appears suddenly with the same outfit of the heroes? Did you see how Govinda turned out to be alive? Or how the thieves of his match did nothing but to shave him (Did you hear about thieves that shave their victim before?!), Did you see how Shakti Kapoor has a hate for wearing a shirt?, Did you see the unknown man who the fake Chief Minister shots in the hospital, the one standing behind Chunky Pandey?! WHO WAS THAT MAN? AND HOW HE, NEITHER PANDEY, COULDN'T SEE KAPOOR HIDDING UNDER THE CHAIR IN FRONT OF THEM???, and please, Did you see how Govinda killed the evil man brutally at the end (by throwing him to a plane's fan!!), while he could have been easily handed over to the police?!, most probably they would have executed him later by exposing him to a copy of this movie. On second thought, throw him to a plane's fan more mercifully!
Well, I can go forever with this "Did you see.." routine, since the idiot moments are endless, and forced is what this movie is all about. Still the most overblown one is the matter of the provincial look-alikes?!! I still ask, what was the need to that storyline?? This is one of the biggest mysteries I have ever met. But wait a second, is it "I have ever met" or "I have ever met in an Indian movie"? Because there is an important difference, since at the second the sky is the limit (even if it wasn't a fantasy!).
Despite that the editing pulled off forming a sane personality for a chain of absolutely crazy events, it's still so nervous movie. So with the overdone action, countless coincidences, Govinda, another totally incomprehensible and useless Govinda, a Rambo monkey (that wasn't meant for laughing), shouting everybody, and blood.. then it's a wild ride of Bollywood hallucination!
Near its end, I felt hysteria. And when I read that it was 1993's biggest Bollywood hit, I felt both mad and sad. You have to really pity the Indian moviegoers for loving such a movie that much. Mindless entertainment wasn't that mindless and unentertaining like that before. So how come a camp masterpiece, like Aankhen, IS a masterpiece for them at the moment?!
PS: Again, why all the bad Indian movies that I have watched has to belong to the decade of the 1990s?!
Film which established the master director
vishal_wall27 December 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is the best David Dhawan film. There are various reason but the best of course is the speed of the film. It just starts and ends. No breaks, no jerks, nothing. A total roller-coaster. A bank robbery, to Desh-Bhakti, to cheap pelvic motions, to high class editing, to great acting, to interesting twists and turns filled with loud laughters. It has everything. For those who came in late 'Ankhein' is still in the top 10 biggest grocers Indian film Indutry ever made.
Although every one has performed really well including Chunky Pandey but this is a David Dhawan film. I saw 'Shola or Shabnam' and liked it but 'Ankhein' established David Dhawan as a director with peculiar sense of humor for me. Which again became evident in another fantastic film 'Coolie no 1'. Scene where villager Govinda meets urban Kader Khan is a class of its own. The way Kader Khan says "Handiya Main Kya Pak Raha Tha Gadhey?". Its damn funny.
Repeat value of the film is not very high because its very long but I watched many scenes fast forwarding here and there for a long time. my favorite scene is 'Kaun Dega Qurbani' and college principal scene. Govinda is unbeatable and undoubtedly better than Bachchan in some ways. 9/10.
Although every one has performed really well including Chunky Pandey but this is a David Dhawan film. I saw 'Shola or Shabnam' and liked it but 'Ankhein' established David Dhawan as a director with peculiar sense of humor for me. Which again became evident in another fantastic film 'Coolie no 1'. Scene where villager Govinda meets urban Kader Khan is a class of its own. The way Kader Khan says "Handiya Main Kya Pak Raha Tha Gadhey?". Its damn funny.
Repeat value of the film is not very high because its very long but I watched many scenes fast forwarding here and there for a long time. my favorite scene is 'Kaun Dega Qurbani' and college principal scene. Govinda is unbeatable and undoubtedly better than Bachchan in some ways. 9/10.
Double roles ka dhamaaka!!
nadkarnisumeet9 April 2022
Aankhen review :
Heck ya, whats this double role ka overdose... Govinda Govinda Kader Kader Babbar Babbar But only one Chunky?
No, there is a monkey too!!
Such was the joke going around Aankhen - a hardcore masala entertainer which had a lot many double roles as much as it had plot twists. But director David Dhawan proved his mettle by executing the almost unbelievable screenplay at such a racy pace that the audience didn't bother to notice its loopholes at all and accepted it wholeheartedly. Just like they would embrace Manmohan Desai hits of the '70s. Yup, you can call this the MKD treatment of the '90s and the legendary filmmaker himself magnanimously acknowledged Dhawan's blockbuster as 'his kind' of cinema in print. Wow!
Newcomers Ritu Shivpuri and Rajeshwari were cast opposite Govinda and Chunky Pandey, respectively. The uber chiquè Ritu didn't quite suit the rustic Govinda but she looked extremely sexy in her seductive number 'Ek tamanna jeevan ki'. On the other hand, the voluptuous Shilpa Shirodkar complimented Govinda perfectly and their sexual innuendos in the Bhojpuri touch wala 'Angna mein baba' song met with loud ceetis at Chitra Cinema, Dadar where I saw this movie in its first weekend.
Aankhen arrived at a time when the country was reeling back to normal after the 1992 riots and the serial bomb blasts which devastated Bombay (now Mumbai) in March 1993. Quite a few biggie movies like J. P. Dutta's Kshatriya and Rakesh Roshan's King Uncle had flopped in this period and the audience needed a true blue stress buster to relieve themselves. This film was the perfect dose for them!!!
Aankhen became a blockbuster hit breaking all prior records. At Metro Cinema in Mumbai, the current booking windows didn't open for first fifty days. It celebrated a silver jubilee here. The film gave a big boost to Pahlaj Nihalani as a producer, David Dhawan as a director and most importantly, Govinda as a star. But Chunky as the second hero didn't benefit at all. Just like Bajrangi the monkey!!!
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
Heck ya, whats this double role ka overdose... Govinda Govinda Kader Kader Babbar Babbar But only one Chunky?
No, there is a monkey too!!
Such was the joke going around Aankhen - a hardcore masala entertainer which had a lot many double roles as much as it had plot twists. But director David Dhawan proved his mettle by executing the almost unbelievable screenplay at such a racy pace that the audience didn't bother to notice its loopholes at all and accepted it wholeheartedly. Just like they would embrace Manmohan Desai hits of the '70s. Yup, you can call this the MKD treatment of the '90s and the legendary filmmaker himself magnanimously acknowledged Dhawan's blockbuster as 'his kind' of cinema in print. Wow!
Newcomers Ritu Shivpuri and Rajeshwari were cast opposite Govinda and Chunky Pandey, respectively. The uber chiquè Ritu didn't quite suit the rustic Govinda but she looked extremely sexy in her seductive number 'Ek tamanna jeevan ki'. On the other hand, the voluptuous Shilpa Shirodkar complimented Govinda perfectly and their sexual innuendos in the Bhojpuri touch wala 'Angna mein baba' song met with loud ceetis at Chitra Cinema, Dadar where I saw this movie in its first weekend.
Aankhen arrived at a time when the country was reeling back to normal after the 1992 riots and the serial bomb blasts which devastated Bombay (now Mumbai) in March 1993. Quite a few biggie movies like J. P. Dutta's Kshatriya and Rakesh Roshan's King Uncle had flopped in this period and the audience needed a true blue stress buster to relieve themselves. This film was the perfect dose for them!!!
Aankhen became a blockbuster hit breaking all prior records. At Metro Cinema in Mumbai, the current booking windows didn't open for first fifty days. It celebrated a silver jubilee here. The film gave a big boost to Pahlaj Nihalani as a producer, David Dhawan as a director and most importantly, Govinda as a star. But Chunky as the second hero didn't benefit at all. Just like Bajrangi the monkey!!!
Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.
Average comedy film but good action film
vjnambu22 March 2020
Bunnu(Govinda) and Munnu(Chunky pandey) are two pranksters always creating headache for their millionaire dad Hasmukh Rai(Kader Khan). Their happy go lucky life takes a turn when they find out a political conspiracy where chief minister(raj babbar) is impersonated by a look alike so that natwar shah(gulshan grover) a millionaire involved in a scam could be released. Bunnu and munnu are found by its mastermind criminal tejeshwar(shakthi kapoor), where bunnu is caught but munnu escapes. Bunnu manages to escape but gets shot and is assumed dead. Munnu gets framed for murdering bunnu and now he's on run. On the other hand in a village there is bunnu's lookalike gaurishankar(Govinda) who is the son of hasmukh rai's long lost twin brother neelkanth(kader khan). When gaurishankar travels to city he's misunderstood as bunnu and reaches to hasmukh. Bunnu is found alive and while going back is caught by gaurishankar's love interest chandramukhi(Shilpa shirodhkar) and gets stuck with her. Tejeshwar wants to find and kill munnu and bunnu so that their plan doesn't go in waters. How bunnu and munnu saves the day is the rest of the film.
Govinda performs his dual roles very well. Chunky pandey was also good but got overshadowed because of govinda's dual acts. Shakthi kapoor was menacing as tejeshwar, kader khan also played his dual roles well. Among heroines only shilpa shirodkar got something to perform.
Songs were excellent and my favorite was angna mein baba, lal dupatte waali and bade kaam ka bandar.
But comedy of the film is just average. David dhawan and govinda's previous film shola aur shabnam and future films had better comedy than this. On the other hand, action and thrilling parts were good. There are some illogical scenes too.
On the whole david dhawan packaged very well aankhen as a comedy action film.
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