Ankhon Dekhi

"I have seen it with my own eyes, and I can tell you that 'Aankhon Dekhi' is a fine , fine film. Kapoor's film is an absolute gem, because he gives us a marvelous bunch of characters who make us laugh, and pause, and think. In another film, Bauji would have come off a caricature. But here he is a man in the vital process of sloughing off dead layers, and discovering his skin. Sanjay Mishra does a terrific job of becoming Bauji."

"It's a flight of fancy that I recommend you do not miss. The family drama plays out before the entire neighborhood, and it's through scenes like these that Kapoor skillfully offers you an India that you recognize and love."

"Ankhon Dekhi is a lovely respite from the formulaic fare that clutters our multiplexes week after week. Make time for it."

"Ankhon Dekhi is unquestionably great, but don't take our word for it. See it, as Bauji would insist, with your own eyes."

"Ultimately, Ankhon Dekhi's biggest strength lies in the subtlety of its emotions. This is a profound film but it never comes across as preachy."

"Very rarely do you come across scenes in films that make you smile even when you are getting teary-eyed. 'Ankhon Dekhi' has many such moments. Please don't miss this gem of a film. You will come out feeling a little lighter and a little richer."

"Very few films concern themselves with questions. Most of them are too eager to provide inspiration or make statements. But in Rajat Kapoor's Ankhon Dekhi, curiosity is what drives its premise and suspension of disbelief is entirely abandoned. Discerning viewer, witness it you must."

"...often seems like an easy film to watch, but is also a puzzle at times. A study in contradictions, a gentle look at people and relationships, a wonderful example of how a film can be rooted and still be fanciful. It makes you ponder over it, it makes you want to relive it, but it also doesn't completely convince you of whether you liked the film or not. It raises questions, and answers them with more questions. That, I suppose, is the film's biggest victory."

"...has every element in it that makes it a flattering watch. Heart warming in parts and easy to get entrapped in, the film is mindbogglingly engaging. Its impossible to dismiss this film, because of its mounting moments that soar all through. I am going with 3.5/5 and a simple question. When is your next expected Mr Kapoor?"

"Sometimes the best films are made out of simple stories and Aankhon Dekhi does that too. It touches your heart and makes you smile."

"Mishra, as the patriarch, Bauji, is the fulcrum and spine of the film. At once mercurial and patient, crazy yet sane, it's a character difficult to pull off and Mishra literally internalises it. Seema Pahwa as his hyper, nagging yet loving wife is just as pitch-perfect. So are the rest. Maya Sarao as the live-wire daughter is a revelation. The relationships are convincin­gly handled. Be it the father-daughter bonding after a fight or the brothers falling apart. They feel so real that they could well be happening in your own family."

"बाउजी के किरदार को संजय मिश्रा ने इतना सहज और आत्मीय कर दिया है कि किरदार और कलाकार एकमेक हो गए हैं। हिंदी फिल्मों में सालों बाद ऐसा स्वाभाविक अभिनय दिखाया है। बाउजी के चलने, उठने, बैठने, रूठने और मनाने में मध्यवर्गीय सरलता है। ...फिल्म में गीतों के बोल पर ध्यान दें तो कहानी गहराई से उद्घाटित होती है। वरुण ग्रोवर ने 'आंखों देखी' की प्रस्तुति की संगत में गीतों को फिल्मी नहीं होने दिया है। वे शब्दों में नई इमेज गढ़ते हैं।"

"Ankhon Dekhi is a perfect mixture of an experimental art film and offbeat cinema, which gives you the feel of a Hrishikesh Mukherjee or a Woddy Allen film. The simplistic story and the even simple ideals of a common family have been portrayed to the best. The balance although shifts at times and makes you lose the entertainment quotient but maybe for a couple of minutes at the max. The story is meaningful and the presentation is entertaining. BollywoodLife suggests it to the cinemagoer who loves watching classy films and abhors watching the masala Hindi film."

"Sanjay Mishra is simply remarkable. No other actor could've pulled off the Bauji act as effortlessly and convincingly as he does. Rajat Kapoor too delivers an effortless performance, while Seema Pahwa is terrific. The rest of the cast is hugely competent. On the whole, ANKHON DEKHI is indeed watchable!"

"In short, Aankhon Dekhi is a gem that touches your heart, moves you, makes you smile and leaves you with some food for thought."

"If you are looking for something invigorating, ANKHON DEKHI is just for you. Don't trust me; like Bauji, go and see it for yourself. After all, seeing is believing!"

"The neighborhood, the people and the surroundings, everything is utterly realistic. Sagar Desai's music is in perfect sync with the movie. It is fresh and earthy...Watch the movie for it's raw characters and a simple yet thought provoking plot. There is no extreme dialoguebaazi, item numbers, or action sequence. It is just pure cinema."

"What however doesn't work for the film is the fact that it borders on abstract at regular intervals and lacks continuity, making a few scenes and conversations seem out-of-context. Nonetheless, the film is emotionally liberating. See it to believe it."

"Ankhon Dekhi is jump from the routine Friday mill for its moments and Sanjay Mishra's flawless performance. But we wished Bauji had all the potential to be transformed into modern day 'Anand' if it could have glued to one track and not committed the suicide to fly without having the required wings of audience heart strings.. Ankho Dekhi is a sad miss we saw what the maker couldn,t see And what the maker saw we couldn't see.."

"What's interesting though is the impeccably portrayed milieu, the familiar sounding familial interactions, the ensemble assemblage of quality actors and by and large, a distinctive intention to stay away from the superficial and the formulaic."

"As city films and portraits of ordinary people taking a step towards an extraordinary light go, Aankhon Dekhi is an enjoyable confection, delivered by an ensemble cast, especially Sarao as Bauji's daughter and the ever-dependable Brijendra Kala as his partner in crime, that brings immense energy and vitality to the show."

"The ending seems rushed, but "Ankhon Dekhi" is still a film that deserves a viewing."

"...a well-made and well-enacted film but too philosophical and just too class-appealing. It will, therefore, not be able to score in the cinemas."

"Aankhon Dekhi is not a film that will invite public love, the way Queen or Highway have managed to garner over the past month. It eschews typical Bollywood razzle-dazzle to paint a stark but vivid portrait of the search for meaning and truth in our lives, where the laughter and the tears both come from the truth laid bare on screen. It is an intensely rewarding experience, with an ending that will haunt you for days afterwards."

"Us Indians put too much emphasis on religion and social stigma. And in doing so, we all let go of a certain spirit required to uplift life. That's what Raje Bhauji does in Aankhon Dekhi. He breaks free. The detachment makes him look like an odd ball, but it also gives him the happy-go-lucky nature, the sense of impulse that is needed to spice one's life."