Amitabh Bachchan played villain in this Akshay Kumar film, said yes to the role in 15 minutes, film became superhit, earned Rs..., lead actress was...
Vipul Shah, one of India's finest filmmakers and producers, is celebrated for his impeccable contributions to Indian cinema. Among his many remarkable projects, Aankhen stands out as a cult classic. Released 23 years ago on April 2, 2002, the film garnered rave reviews and became an instant box office success. Who all starred in Akshay Kumar's Aankhen and how much it earned?
Aankhen featured a talented star cast including Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, Sushmita Sen, Paresh Rawal and Aditya Pancholi. Amitabh Bachchan portrayed an antagonist in this film, and stole limelight from all the lead actors.
Made in a budget of Rs 17 crore crore, Aankhen earned over Rs 33 crore worldwide, becoming the fifth highest-grossing film of the year. Moreover, it set a massive record in South Africa, earning $14,600 on weekend, despite the limited screening. Why was Vipul Shah shocked after meeting Amitabh Bachchan?
Vipul Shah once shared an interesting anecdote about the film. He shared how he waited outside Amitabh Bachchan's vanity van with Aankhen's script in his hand. Despite the busy schedule, Big B agreed to hear the story. Well, what shocked Vipul was that the superstar just took 15 minutes to say yes to his part.
'I thought it would be a long process, but he just listened to my script. I was a little scared that I might upset him because I was going to give him a villain's role,' Vipul said.
He added, 'Amitabh sir's listening style was very deep and he had zero reaction. He listened to my script carefully, but it was difficult to understand his reaction. When I finished the script in 15 minutes, Amitabh sir said, 'Vipul, I will do this.' I could not believe it.'
Aankhen's heist-revenge plot remains remarkable till date. It perfectly brought the concept of heist films, before they were even considered a popular genre in Bollywood.
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