Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan Review: Beautiful to Watch, Hard to Feel

Romantic dramas have a special place in Hindi cinema, and Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan tries to revive that old charm. Directed by Santosh Singh, this film is based on Ruskin Bond’s short story about a blind musician and a theater artist who meet during a train journey. Vikrant Massey plays the musician while Shanaya Kapoor makes her debut. Released in July 2025, the movie takes us to the beautiful hills of Mussoorie.

The team behind the camera includes writer Niranjan Iyengar, cinematographer Tanveer Mir, and music composer Vishal Mishra. What caught my attention was the idea of showing romance from the perspective of someone who cannot see. The story happens mostly on a train ride through the Himalayas, where two strangers start talking and slowly fall for each other.

##The Plot and Pacing

Jahaan is a blind musician heading to Mussoorie. On the train, he meets Saba, a theater artist looking to rediscover her creative spark. Their compartment becomes a small world where conversations turn into connections. They share stories about their lives and dreams, building feelings without relying on looks.

The story tries to stay true to Ruskin Bond’s gentle style. But the film struggles to keep things interesting for today’s viewers. Some scenes drag on too long while others rush through moments that needed more time. The script feels torn between being a classic romance and something modern, never quite settling on either.

##Acting That Stands Out

Vikrant Massey does justice to Jahaan. He doesn’t just play blind, he brings the character to life through small gestures and real emotion. After watching him in intense roles recently, this softer character shows what he can do. Some scenes hit hard, though I felt he could have explored darker shades of the character more.

Shanaya Kapoor shows potential in her first film. Playing opposite an experienced actor isn’t easy, but she handles it well enough. Her emotional scenes feel genuine, even if some tougher moments expose her newness to acting. The pair works together decently but doesn’t create the magic a love story needs. They look good together but something’s missing.

##What I Liked

The visuals steal the show. Tanveer Mir’s camera work makes Mussoorie look like a dream. Foggy mountains, old trains winding through valleys, and the charm of hill stations, every frame looks stunning. The warm colors make you want to visit these places yourself.

Vishal Mishra’s songs add real value. The title track, sung by Jubin Nautiyal, has that lingering quality that stays in your head. The background music supports the story without taking over. I particularly liked how sound design shows Jahaan’s world, the way he hears and experiences things around him.

The film deserves credit for how it handles disability. Jahaan’s blindness isn’t shown as a curse or the main problem. It’s just part of who he is. This felt refreshing compared to how Hindi films usually deal with such characters. The train setting also works, it creates an intimate space for two people to open up.

##Where It Disappoints Me

The biggest problem is that you can see everything coming. From the moment they meet, you know exactly how things will go. No surprises, no unexpected turns. The film plays it too safe, which makes the journey feel dull despite the pretty visuals.

Dialogue often sounds unnatural. People in real life don’t talk like they’re reading poetry all the time. The constant deep conversations started feeling forced after a while. Some emotional scenes that should have moved me just didn’t land because the setup felt fake.

Characters needed more depth. Jahaan and Saba remain surface-level throughout. What drives them? What shaped them? We get very little backstory. Supporting actors barely register, they’re just there to fill space. At 2 hours 20 minutes, the film tests your patience. Several scenes could have been cut without losing anything important.

##How Critics Responded

Reviews have been mostly negative. Rotten Tomatoes shows only 27% positive critic reviews. IMDb users gave it 6.0 out of 10. Free Press Journal called it well-intentioned but confused about its identity. The Hollywood Reporter India felt Vikrant Massey deserved a better script with more complexity.

Koimoi praised both actors but found the story too predictable with logical holes. Bollymoviereviewz was kinder, saying true romantics might enjoy it. A few early reviewers rated it highly, giving 4.5 stars and calling it emotionally satisfying. But most critics and regular viewers found it underwhelming despite technical quality.

##My Verdict

This film wants to be something special but doesn’t quite get there. The cinematography is gorgeous, the music touches your heart, and Vikrant Massey tries his best. The way it treats blindness without making it melodramatic deserves applause. If you like slow romances with lots of talking and don’t care about surprises, you might enjoy parts of it.

But the problems are too big to ignore. The story goes exactly where you expect. The pace feels off. Characters don’t feel like real people. The film can’t decide if it wants to be old-school or modern. It’s a beautiful package with not much inside. Shanaya Kapoor shows she has talent, but this script doesn’t give her enough to work with.

Watch it for the scenery and songs. If those things matter more to you than story and character, you’ll find value. But if you want to feel something real, if you want characters you care about and a plot that surprises you, this will leave you cold. It’s a film that promises more than it delivers.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5