He had no answer to this convincing wisdom of the East. He was touched by the sentiment, but managed not to reveal his emotions till he left Japan.
Meenakshi Mehta was the daughter of a Japanese mother and an Indian father, and Sunil had come to Japan to learn the art of Judo, karate and a few more tricks essential for a spy.
Sunil thought that he had done good to the girl by not responding to her love, and believed that she might forget him after some time; but Fate again brought them together in Beirut and he found that Meenakshi had kept up that flame alive in her heart.
What amazed him more was the fact that she was also a spy belonging to the same group of Indian patriots who were engaged in a grim struggle against the enemy agents who had established their secret headquarters on Indian soil, and were engaged in smuggling arms and ammunition in India, which helped them in their activities of espionage, such as blowing up military trains, spreading, enemy propaganda in the country and inciting violence and creating communal riots so as to disrupt the public life of the greatest democracy of Asia.
ANKHEN (THE EYES) is the story of that great adventure of a brave batch of Indian patriots, some of whom had to make the supreme sacrifice.
It is story of Human Greatness and Human Weakness of brave heroes and treacherous sleuths, a story of a helpless mother who would do anything to save her child, and of a great father who could kill his own son for the sake of his country.
The romantic path of love and the dangerous path of duty run parallel till the story reaches the point when both the paths merger into one of Eternal Love.
Audience and Press:
- Celebrated Diamond Jubilee
- Won Film Fare Award for best director and best cinematographer
- Smashed box office records at over 48 stations.
- Shown at "Indian Film Festival" - Moscow.
- The biggest Box Office Bonanza of 1968-69
- Celebrated silver jubilee at 12 stations
- Celebrated 100 days at 25 stations
- All time box office records at 50 stations
“Sagar has hit the bull's eye in no uncertain manner"
"Sagar has woven a tale which has variegated hues and a dynamic pace”
"Ravi's tuning is simply masterly"
- UNDER THE GREASE PAINT, Bombay
"Sagar revels in imagery and Lyricism the title of the picture"
"ANKHEN" spectacular, Significant and Dynamic"
"Spectacularly photographed, story is compelling Ramanand Sagar is a man of vision"
"Mala Sinha's performance should go down as one of her very best"
- CINE ADVANCE, Calcutta
"Some fascinating foreign locations"
FILMFARE, Bombay
"Sagar's direction displays commendable taste- his dialogue, is as always, a tour de force, with many a telling turn of phrase"
"In a role modest made for her, Meenakshi, performs with a grace, poise and glamour that makes her look truly spicy"
"Dharmendra looks spruce and debonair and acts with confident ease"
"Film's high spots are the colour photography of G. Singh, the sophisticated art direction of Sudhendu Roy and the snappy editing of Lachhmandass"
- MARCH OF THE NATION, Delhi
“……..it scores in showmanship, its novel gadgets, its variety of settings, its locations shootings in Japan, Lebanon, Beirut, Hong Kong, and Singapore and its gorgeous costumes and disguises….”
- CARAVAN, Delhi.
RAMANAND SAGAR - THE THINKER, THE WRITER, THE DREAMER, THE CREATOR
"There are three RAMANAND SAGAR, The Movie Maker, The thinker. The writer all the three are fused in one.
To define Ramanand Sagar in a few words, he is a producer director - writer of abnormal intellectual sensitivity and subtlety, out of the great Indian producers he is one of the few who conceives, thinks and experiences in precise, set terms. In the result, as they pay off for such dedication, each of Sagar's pictures is a shedding of his skin, a renewal renunciation.
Film is not a business with him, but an outlet for his artistic and imaginative make-up.
Speaking of his latest film “ANKHEN” (the eyes), he has merely rioted in his abundance and in the richness of his resourceful mind. He has so much to tell that it is pressed down and running over. He has tried to impart some authenticity, getting his material from live reports, official documents, going to the notorious espionage centres like Beirut, Singapore, Hong Kong. He has created realistic sets, precise replicas of the hideouts of the spies.
His canvas of creation is sweeping and panoramic as his imagination is intense and deep. It he occupies a unique place of pride in the film firmament today, it is his by right.
BLITZ WEEKLY, Bombay
"For Authenticity this man is unbeatable”
-HINDUSTAN STANDARD DAILY, Calcutta
"I admire him as a writer, I admire him as a film maker, but above all I admire him as a wonderful man' A fan's tribute to Ramanand Sagar”
From a article by DHARMENDRA LEADING MAN OF ANKHEN"
It is a quality of Mr. Sagar, to make the movies not only as best as he could make them, but to make them as best as they should be made and when necessary to learn and procure whatever is required to get the desired results, this has made him whatever he is today one of the biggest film makers of India".
JOURNAL OF FILM INDUSTRY Bombay
"LAURELS FOR ANKHEN"
1968 Film Fare award Best Director Ramanand Sagar
1968 Film Fare Award Best Photography G. Singh
1968 UP film Journalist association award Best colour film Ankhen
1968 U.P. film journalist association award Best Actress Mala Sinha
1968 U.P. film Journalist association award Best Supporting Actor Sujit Kumar
Shown in Moscow Film Festival 1968.