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All diehard movie buffs must have watched Vipul Amrutlal Shah’s 2002 heist thriller Aankhen. But are you aware of an interesting behind-the-scenes story about how the filmmaker got legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan on board as the film’s main villain, and that too without a script?
How Amitabh Bachchan Got On Board Without a Script
In a recent interview, Vipul Amrutlal Shah revealed that when he approached Amitabh Bachchan to narrate the story of Aankhen, he was asked to explain the film’s plot in fifteen minutes. Amitabh Bachchan liked the story and asked him for a full narration after three days at his home, Jalsa. But interestingly, Vipul Shah didn’t have a proper script then. So, he called his co-writer, Aatish Kapadia, and told him that they would have to write the whole script in three days so that Amitabh Bachchan could greenlight it. Finally, Amitabh Bachchan was signed, and the film eventually gained a cult following among cinephiles. You can watch the full interview here.
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Aankhen – Plot & Cast
Directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, the stylishly executed heist thriller was based on a Gujarati stage play. The film’s basic plot follows the story of a genius but eccentric banker, Vijay Singh Rajput (Amitabh Bachchan), who is unjustly fired from his bank and decides to take revenge. He shortlists three blind men and hires a school teacher to train them to execute an intricately planned bank robbery. The film also features Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Paresh Rawal, and Sushmita Sen in major roles.
