Do Ankhen Barah Haath (1958)

Progressive, reform-minded young warden gets permission to take six surly murderers from prison to dilapidated country farm, to rehabilitate it and themselves through hard work and kindly guidance.

Director:

Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram

Writer:

G.D. Madgulkar (story)

Stars:

Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram, Sandhya, Ulhas

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rajaram Vankudre Shantaram	...	Jailer Adinath (as V. Shantaram)
Sandhya	...	Champa
Ulhas	...	Shanker Passi (as Ullhas)
B.M. Vyas	...	Jalia Nai
Pal Sharma
S.K. Singh
Gajendra
G. Ingawale
Chandarkar	...	(as Chandorkar)
Tyagraj
Asha Devi	...	Mother of Inmate
Shankarrao Bhosle	...	(as S. Bhosle)
Samar
Sunil	...	(as Suneel)
Baburao Pendharkar	...	(as Babu Rao Pendharkar)

Storyline

Compassionate Jailer Adinath refuses to document an attack on him by an inmate, Kishan, and instead permits him to see his children. He is then granted permission through the IG as well as the Jail Superintendent to rehabilitate six hardened convicts - all serving life sentences for single and multiple homicides. Amongst them are Veeru Choudhry - for killing his wife; Tamana Bildar for killing a relative; Goshai Kesavgiri for killing two young children; Jalia Nai for cutting the throat of a Sahukar; bandit Shankar Passi who had killed a Zamindar, as well as Kishan himself. He takes them to an isolated house on a plot of barren land, and this is where he expects them to cultivate it, grow crops and make a living. Challenges commence from day one when the Cook, ironically named Bahadur, quits in fear, and Adinath is compelled to cook for everyone. He permits Kishan to see his two children, Govinda and Gopal, as well as his aged, near-blind mother, and even permits the children to live ...

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Plot Keywords:

warden | prison | farming | children | rain | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi English

Release Date:

July 1958 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Two Eyes, Twelve Hands

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rajkamal Kala Mandir

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min 124 min 160 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Jawan Muhabat (1971)

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Soundtracks

"Sainyya Jhoothhon Ka Bada Sartraj Nikala"
Lyrics by Bharat Vyas
Music by Vasant Desai
Sung by Lata Mangeshkar

User Reviews

an Indian Viewpoint

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.