Ankhen (1968 film)

Ankhen
Film poster
Directed by	Ramanand Sagar
Written by	Ramanand Sagar
Produced by	Ramanand Sagar
Starring	Mala Sinha Dharmendra Mehmood Kumkum Sujit Kumar
Cinematography	G. Singh
Edited by	Lachhmandass
Music by	Ravi
Distributed by	Sagar Art International
Release date	20 September 1968 (1968-09-20)
Running time	174 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Ankhen (The Eyes) is a 1968 Hindi spy thriller produced and directed by Ramanand Sagar. The film stars Mala Sinha, Dharmendra, Mehmood, Lalita Pawar, Jeevan and Madan Puri.^[1][2]

It was estimated to be the most profitable Indian film of 1968 in India.^[3][4]

Plot

Shortly after independence, India faces terrorists attacks in Assam, resulting in many deaths and casualties. A group of concerned citizens, who are not connected with the government, decide to do something to stop this carnage. While Salim is already at work in Beirut, his cover is blown, and he is shot dead. Now Sunil Mehra (Dharmendra) must travel to Beirut and take over. Once there, he meets a former flame, Meenakshi Mehta, and a female admirer by the name of Zenab.

The terrorists are headed by a man named Syed, who deputes one of his assistants, Madame, to spy on Sunil's dad, Diwan Chand Mehra, by posing as Mehra's daughter's aunt, forcing her to obey by abducting her son, Babloo, and holding him captive. Soon Syed and his associates, including Doctor X and Captain, find out all secrets of Mehra, as a result of which Sunil is trapped and held by Syed. Then Diwan's world is shattered when Meenakshi telephonically informs him that Sunil has been killed. The question remains what will happen to Babloo, Diwan, and the rest of the concerned citizens, especially when they have become vulnerable due to Madame's presence in their very household.

Cast

• Dharmendra as Sunil^[5]
• Mala Sinha as Meenakshi Mehta
• Kumkum as Sunanda
• Sujit Kumar as Nadeem
• Mehmood as Mehmood
• Nazir Hussain as Major Diwanchand
• Parduman as Akram
• Lalita Pawar as Madam
• Daisy Irani as Lily
• Jeevan as Doctor X^[6]
• Madan Puri as Captain
• Sajjan as Syed, Boss in Beirut
• Dhumal as Studio Owner
• Zeb Rehman as Princess Zehnab
• Madhumati as Madhu (Dancer)
• Master Ratan as Babloo
• Amarnath as Salim
• M. B. Shetty as Bald Guard
• Hiralal as Sheikh (Jewellery dealer)

Songs

The music is by Ravi and the lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi.

No.	Title	Singer(s)	Length
1.	"Milti Hai Zindagi Mein Mohabbat"	Lata Mangeshkar
2.	"Gairon Pe Karam"	Lata Mangeshkar
3.	"De Data Ke Naam Tujhko Allah Rakhe"	Manna Dey and Asha Bhosle
4.	"Loot Ja"	Asha Bhosle, Kamal Barot and Usha Mangeshkar
5.	"Meri Sunle Aaj"	Lata Mangeshkar
6.	"Us Mulk Ki Sarhad Ko"	Mohammed Rafi

Awards

Awards	Category	Nominee	Result
16th Filmfare Awards	Best Film	Ramanand Sagar	Nominated
	Best Director		Won
	Best Story		Nominated
	Best Music Director	Ravi
	Best Lyricist	Sahir Ludhyanvi
	Best Female Playback Singer	Lata Mangeshkar
	Best Cinematography (colour)	G. Singh	Won

^[7]

References

1. Upadhyay, Amit (16 September 2018). "Ankhen, India's first big spy film had a Doctor, Madam, Captain, and of course, Lily". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
2. Saxena, Poonam (9 December 2023). "Code name - Blockbuster: Poonam Saxena on Bollywood's infatuation with the spy". Hindustan Times. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
3. "Top Earners 1960-1969". Boxofficeindia.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2009.
4. "Ankhen To Kanyadaan, 5 Highest Grossing Films Of 1968". News18. 9 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
5. Sharma, Sampada (28 January 2023). "Decades before Shah Rukh Khan's Pathaan vowed to save Bharat Mata, Dharmendra played the fan-favourite spy in Ankhen". The Indian Express . New Delhi. Archived from the original on 19 August 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
6. Gupta, Arun (10 January 2021). "Cocktail of Mao and Hitler — how 1968's Ankhen defined Bollywood villains". ThePrint. Archived from the original on 17 July 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
7. "Filmfare Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Deep750.googlepages.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2021.

External links

• Ankhen at IMDb
• Aankhen (1968) at Teleport City