In a cinematic landscape saturated with over-the-top romances and half-hearted melodramas, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan attempts to tread the path less traveled. Directed by Santosh Singh, the film is based on Ruskin Bond’s short story It’s All In The Eyes, promising an emotionally nuanced take on love and perception. But despite a fresh premise and a confident debut by Shanaya Kapoor, this romantic drama ultimately loses its emotional footing and leaves audiences yearning for more.

 Plot Summary: A Blindfolded Romance

Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan introduces us to Jahaan (Vikrant Massey), a visually impaired singer traveling by train to a picturesque hill station. Onboard, he meets Saba (Shanaya Kapoor), a budding actor who is blindfolded as part of her method acting for an upcoming role. Oblivious to Jahaan’s actual condition, Saba engages in a series of heartfelt conversations, leading to a bond forged in unexpected vulnerability.

What begins as an intriguing encounter—two people experiencing the world without sight—slowly loses its charm. The film tries to build romance out of poetic coincidence but forgets to lay the emotional groundwork needed for it to feel real.

 A Love Story Without Emotional Climax

The fundamental issue with Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan lies in its execution. Romantic films thrive on building tension, crafting relatable characters, and delivering emotional peaks. Here, these elements are absent. The narrative arc, stretched from a short story, feels thin and undercooked. Scenes that should evoke passion or heartbreak fall flat, lacking depth and resonance.

From the very beginning, believability is strained. A young woman boards a train with a blindfold and maintains it throughout a journey with a stranger—this requires a major suspension of disbelief. The screenplay doesn’t offer enough payoff to justify this contrived setup. Beyond scenic visuals and soothing background scores, the film gives very little to hold the viewer’s attention.

 Music: A Gentle Redemption

The only element that stands out in the film is its music, composed by Vishal Mishra. Soft, melodious, and thematically aligned with the plot, the songs manage to evoke some emotion—if only fleetingly. Whether it’s the quiet piano themes or the haunting vocals, the soundtrack is undeniably the highlight of an otherwise dull romantic journey.

However, no amount of musical beauty can completely salvage a script that lacks substance.

Performances: The Missed Potential

Shanaya Kapoor, making her much-anticipated debut, displays promise. She brings a gentle presence to the screen and manages to hold her ground despite a loosely written character. Her portrayal of Saba could have shone brighter with more emotionally charged material.

Vikrant Massey, known for delivering layered performances, feels underutilized here. His character Jahaan had the potential for emotional complexity, but the film fails to explore the intricacies of a visually challenged protagonist. Massey does his best with the script he’s given but is clearly capable of more.

Zain Khan Durrani, who plays Abhinav—Saba’s other romantic interest—adds little to the narrative. His character feels like an afterthought, offering minimal conflict or intrigue.

 Writing and Direction: Ambition Meets Execution

The film is co-written by Mansi Bagla, Santosh Singh, and Niranjan Iyenger. While the writers deserve credit for choosing an unconventional romantic setup, the screenplay lacks the emotional layering that could make the story truly memorable.

Director Santosh Singh struggles to balance subtlety with cinematic drama. A plot built around sensory perception demands a nuanced approach, but instead, what we get is a mechanical unfolding of scenes with no real momentum.

The direction, like the narrative, meanders—unsure whether it wants to be poetic, realistic, or dramatic.

Visual Appeal: Beauty With No Backbone

Visually, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan does offer moments of aesthetic satisfaction. The cinematography captures scenic landscapes, train journeys, and quiet hillsides with elegance. But this backdrop becomes meaningless when the central story lacks energy.

Where the camera tries to fill the emotional gaps, the script leaves voids. There’s only so much the visuals can do when the audience is still waiting for an emotional hook or a memorable moment.

In the end, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan feels like a film that mistakes concept for connection. The romantic setup—intriguing on paper—never truly finds its footing on screen. It lacks the emotional rhythm and character development that make love stories stick with audiences long after the credits roll.

What could have been a delicate exploration of love and disability turns into a bland, forgettable experience. The film wants to say something about seeing beyond appearances, about vulnerability and fate—but it doesn’t quite know how.A missed opportunity masked in beauty and music. Despite a promising cast and concept, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan leaves you feeling blind to the very emotion it sets out to explore.

If you’re looking for a Bollywood romance with heart, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan may not fulfill that desire. However, for fans of Vikrant Massey or curious moviegoers interested in Shanaya Kapoor’s debut, it might be worth a one-time watch—just don’t expect sparks to fly.

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