User Reviews

1st watched 10/14/2001 - 8 out of 10(Dir-V. Shantaram): Very interesting story about a reformer who takes six murderers out of jail to try and prove that they could function working their own fields and taking care of their own farm despite their evil pasts. Filled with up-tempo musical numbers despite it's very serious story make for a varied movie experience. The basic theme here is forgiveness over and over again and how the kindness displayed to them eventually changes them but not without many trials. These trials make up the rest of the movie and fill in where the musical numbers are not there. I would have liked to see the English subtitles in place during the music just so I could understand instead of guessing what they were singing about but this isn't the fault of the movie just those who distributed it to English speaking audiences. If there is a copy with this added I'll watch the movie again and enjoy it that much more. But even without this, this is a movie that should not be missed by those who wish to expand their movie-viewing horizons to other countries that are not seen often in the movie world.

A real classic. I watched it about 25 years back and watched again yesterday. I did the magic both times on me, as a child and as a middle aged man. A jailer fights the eternal battle of good against evil when he decides to make 'men' out of 6 hard-core criminals.

Story doesn't meander. Plot is simple and filled with surprises and mythological grandiose. At times movie becomes sheer art and work of genius when V Shantaram through his spectacular framing and simple screenplay details talk about the psychology of a common man or uncommon man in dynamic society. Scenes like grandmother, Shankar walking out, first night sleep etc are just mind blowing. My favorite scene is when Jailer drags the barbed wire woods.

Making of the film is extremely artistic. All the scenes are thoroughly conceived. You can make out each and every actor moves from spot to spot. Camera moves in spots. Every single frame is detailed to its last frame. Acting is extremely animated but works in favor in a film like this. Background music is extremely provocative as lots of drums are used. Very entertaining drama. 9/10.

This is a great movie which touches the hearts of the viewers.Actually, I wanted to watch this film only because this film is said to be to be one of the best ones directed by V.Shantaram. A simple story well presented with good performances by all the actors. The music is good and the best song is undoubtedly the "Ai Malik,tere bandhe hum". The film is all about how a young jailer reforms 6 hardcore criminals without using any sorts of violence. The film scores primarily in the sentimental part,especially in the climax.The major plus point of the film is that it never bores you even for a minute.Easily,one of the best films made in Hindi.

I first saw this movie when I was just a little kid. I loved it then and I love it now. Do Aankhein Bara Haath is one the finest movies ever made. The plot is about an idealistic police officer who tries to rehabilitate 6 criminals and succeeds facing several problems during the course, The ending of the movie makes me cry each and every time. V Shantaram was a genius, and this movie is his masterpiece. A must watch for each and every human who needs to re-affirm his faith in the good of humanity. The song "Ae Malik tere bande hum", sung by Lata Mangeshwar(of course...who else?..there is no competition)is an evergreen track. The female lead in the movie, Sandhya has acted very well...and the lead Male, played b V. Shantaram himself is worth every penny of the money and time you spend on watching this movie.A definite must watch...no doubt about it!

I was indeed lucky to have seen this movie on big screen,that too in Japan. Do Aankhen Barah Haath, should be viewed keeping in mind that the movie was made in 1957, when melodrama played a huge part in acting (as opposed to say, a "Dil Chahta Hai" made recently).

The initial credits of DABH shows that the movie has been based on a real story..The movie, apart from being an extremely pleasant one (its optimistic tone and the chosen subject of reforming 6 hardened murderers into honest,non-violent farmers), shows a picture of the social milieu that covered India during the times the movie was made.

Some particular scenes really touched me , most predominant of which was when one of the convicts' mother , a frail old lady brings her grandchildren to meet her son. It was one of the most natural,real and effusive show of affection shown on the big screen, that I had seen, and the scene immediately made me remember the people in my grandfather's village.

V.Shantaram has used a simple screenplay without complex reactions to show the pathos and feelings experienced by the convicts. Still, certain scenes such as the one showing the Barber-convict requesting the Jailor to have a shave are very natural.

To put it in a nutshell, Do Aankhen Barah Haath is an extremely optimistic movie that can endure beyond eras and times.

I recently got the opportunity to see this movie (was airing on a movie channel), and felt really blessed and privileged to see it.

It may not be a technically perfect movie, but V.Shantaram has crafted a masterpiece in terms of portraying the characters and the plot to the audience in the simplest way. The movie is high on emotions as it tries to dig into some hard to call humans (convicts of single/multiple murders) and a warden who believes that with forgiveness and love, they can be cured to live in a civilized society.

In a lot of scenes the movie uses metaphorical representation/dialogues to convey the underlying emotion to the audience and I found this to be very very intriguing. The end specially I feel is unmatched on it. Something that a non-interested movie goer can understand, and something that an enthusiast can really appreciate.

I think the movie is not way ahead of it's time, but way behind. Something like Ramayana and Mahabharata, timeless.

Do Ankhen Barah Haath is a drama movie directed by Late V. Shantaram and stars Late V. Shantaram, Sandhya, Late Baburao Pendharkar and late B.M. Vyas.

This movie is one of the milestone of Hindi cinema and has attained a status of cult classic. With great direction, superb acting and beautiful music. The song 'ae malik tere bande hum' was super hit at the time of it's release and is still used as prayers in Indian schools in many parts of India.

The plot of the movie is fresh and execution is superb, the best part of the movie is that the director hasn't wasted much time on character development introduction and kept his primary focus on the plot.

Screenplay is good and will keep you engaged to the movie, acting is great and music is superb. The songs of the movie were chartbusters. Climax of the movie is emotional but has perfect ending.

This is one of the greatest movies ever made and a must watch. An Indian classic.

In an attempt to reform a group of murderers a jail warden takes them to farm in a barren land. There they are free and earn their daily bread by learning to farm. Slowly they are integrated into the society.

Inspired by a true story, this film is a reflection of a new independent India. This film has great music and the songs are superb. Being a period piece it has some over the top moments. It also has one of the greatest shot where the warden is sitting on a cot and the murderers sitting in front of him with a pistol in between and a lullaby being sung in the background. This film deserves a watch for that moment alone.

The master piece of all times .Nothing more to add

This movie deserves the place in world's top 100 classic movies of all time.

Watching this was my wort decission, 2+hrs almost feel like getting scammed

During a phase of my life, I had a roommate who had used to sing "Ai malik tere bande hum" (O Lord, we're thy servants!) pretty often, and that was the only reason I watched this movie (the song was from this movie, he had told me!), when it was broadcast by Dordarshan, the National Television Channel of India, a few years later. And I must admit, it was a good movie. Sure, it had all those mandatory songs, but yet the songs didn't intrude into the movie, at least for an Indian such as I, used to heavy and endless dose of songs in movies.

To me, the most impressive point of this movie was its simple yet nice story (apparently based on a real-life incident), which was devoid of many so-called masalas (spices!)in spite of the era in which it was made (Compare Do Bigha Zamin for cheap sentimentality, for example) and yet executed well.

It's long-enduring impact can be seen from the spoof enacted by Annu Kapoor for a T.V. series (I don't remember its name, though) which used to be in Zee TV as recently as in 2003.

India gave Mahatma Gandhi to the world, that means an ideology of extreme respect towards fellow human beings and their intentions and motives, be it at the cost of extreme self harm, but the results always justify the method.

This is another example, and the success this film had back in late 1950s is testament to his theory and is a window in times that seem so different yet so engaging and engrossing.

It's a cinematic piece of art and is beautiful in every way, the music is legendary and the story engages you to the very limited character set and their mindset amazingly well.

Don't know what to write and from where to start.. Whenever I watch this movie I feel I am diving into the ocean of joy and emotions... You will never tired of watching it no matter how may times you seen it. Each and every character are whole story in it. They holds you in the way, in other word they literally hypnotize you throughout the whole time.. Every movie lover must watch this once... Alltime evergreen masterpiece

Unparallel in Bollywood.cccvvbbnnnnbhfffghjjfffghhvgggyyyyggggyyh Ghhhggijftyjgffuj hggyiffyifftuhftihfruhftu tgffhjxfhjffhjtffvjjhhghjhgfghkhghhhfftyuhgfgggftttdfyuuittghhhuuuuuuuhttfttrfij Ithaka by C. P. Cavafy

As you set out for Ithaka

hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. Laistrygonians and Cyclops, angry Poseidon don't be afraid of them: you'll never find things like that on your way as long as you keep your thoughts raised high, as long as a rare excitement

stirs your spirit and your body.

Laistrygonians and Cyclops, wild Poseidon-you won't encounter them unless you bring them along inside your soul, unless your soul sets them up in front of you.

Hope the voyage is a long one. May there be many a summer morning when, with what pleasure, what joy, you come into harbors seen for the first time; may you stop at Phoenician trading stations to buy fine things, mother of pearl and coral, amber and ebony,

sensual perfume of every kind-

as many sensual perfumes as you can;

and may you visit many Egyptian cities to gather stores of knowledge from their scholars.

Keep Ithaka always in your mind. Arriving there is what you are destined for. But do not hurry the journey at all. Better if it lasts for years, so you are old by the time you reach the island, wealthy with all you have gained on the way, not expecting Ithaka to make you rich.

Ithaka gave you the marvelous journey. Without her you would not have set out. She has nothing left to give you now.

And if you find her poor, Ithaka won't have fooled you. Wise as you will have become, so full of experience, you will have understood by then what these Ithakas mean.

Translated by Edmund Keeley/Philip Sherrard.

Pretty unconventional movie as compared to the standards of today as well as the standards of that era..very few movies are made like this.. A must watch movie