Aankhen
2002 · Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah
Original language: Hindi
- crime
- thriller
The story
After his hatred of dishonesty costs him his job, an embittered man goes over to the dark side and plots to rob the bank he once managed.
What it’s like
Glossy, saturated studio lighting, with bright primary colours and polished bank interiors that feel bigger and sunnier than they should. The camera moves in lively, energetic swoops and tracking shots, cutting quickly between the planning and the scheming, and the score leans on bouncy, brassy musical cues that tip into full song sequences. The mood is playful and slick, a caper told with a wink, where tension is threaded through banter and sleight of hand rather than dread. Violence is present, with gunfire and action set-pieces, but it stays fairly bloodless and never lingers on cruelty. The pacing is brisk, with a long middle stretch of cat-and-mouse that loosens into lighter, more theatrical stretches. Its people are sharp and rivalrous, with the arc of a wounded man talking himself into a crooked path. It suits a Friday night with friends, or a comfort watch when you want a stylish, sing-along heist with big personalities and no real darkness, and it will especially appeal to fans of mainstream Hindi cinema who enjoy colourful genre entertainment.
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