Aankhen (1993) is a Hindi-language action comedy film directed by David Dhawan and produced by Pahlaj Nihalani. Released on 9 April 1993, the film stars Govinda in a double role, alongside Chunky Pandey, Shilpa Shirodkar, Ritu Shivpuri, Raageshwari, Kader Khan, Raj Babbar, and Sadashiv Amrapurkar.
The story follows the mischievous brothers Bunnu and Munnu, whose carefree lifestyle and practical jokes create endless trouble. When Bunnu's identical cousin Gauri Shankar arrives in the city, mistaken identities lead to a series of hilarious situations, while a larger criminal conspiracy adds an action-packed twist to the comedy. The film became the highest-grossing Indian film of 1993 and is remembered as one of the defining commercial comedies of the 1990s.
Movie: Aankhen
Release Date: 9 April 1993
Language: Hindi
Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
Director: David Dhawan
Producer: Pahlaj Nihalani
Writer: Anees Bazmee
Music Director: Bappi Lahiri
Lyricist: Indeevar
Cinematography: Siba Mishra
Editor: Nand Kumar
Runtime: 170 minutes
Distributor: Chiragdeep International
Country: India
The story centers on Bunnu and Munnu, two irresponsible brothers whose constant pranks and mischief cause problems for their father, Hasmukh Rai. Their behavior eventually leads to serious consequences, setting off a chain of events involving crime, mistaken identities, and family separation.
The arrival of Gauri Shankar, Bunnu's identical cousin from a small village, creates even more confusion. Because of their striking resemblance, Gauri Shankar is mistaken for Bunnu, leading to hilarious misunderstandings.
At the same time, a criminal conspiracy involving powerful people puts the characters in danger. The story moves between comedy, romance, action, and emotional family moments before the identities and conspiracy are finally resolved.
The music of Aankhen was composed by Bappi Lahiri, with lyrics by Indeevar. The soundtrack featured singers including Kumar Sanu, Sudesh Bhosle, Mohammed Aziz, Asha Bhosle, Sapna Mukherjee, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Alka Yagnik, Sadhana Sargam, and Arun Bakshi.
Popular songs from the film include:
The soundtrack reportedly sold around 3 million units, making it one of the notable-selling Hindi film albums of 1993.
Aankhen became a major commercial success and was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1993. Its success further strengthened the successful creative partnership between David Dhawan and Govinda, which would produce several popular comedy entertainers throughout the 1990s.