The film was inspired by the story of an 'open prison' experiment Swatantrapur in the princely state of Aundh near Satara. Now Swatantrapur is part ofAtpadi tehsil in Sangli district of Maharashtra. It was recounted by screenwriter G. D. Madgulkar to V. Shantaram. In 2005, Indiatimes Movies ranked the movie amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.During the filming V. Shantaram battled with a bull and he hurt his one eye during the stunt, though his eyesight survived. The film was later remade in 1975 in Tamil as Pallandu Vazhga starring M.G. Ramachandran and Latha, and in 1976 as theTelugu color film Maa Daivam starring N.T. Rama Rao and Jayachitra.
Do Aankhen Barah Haath makes you want to believe in the innate decency of all human beings. And for how many films can one say that? Despite being a message film, it doesn't lapse into dull didacticism but remains cinematically alive throughout.
The scene where one of the prisoner's aged, bedraggled and half-blind mother comes to meet him with his sons is heart-breaking in the abjectness of her poverty and helplessness. Yet, when the mother gives the jailor a simple sweet as her token of appreciation for arranging the meeting, the survival of the human spirit can't fail to move.
There is wry humour as well --- when the farm's caretaker, frightened by the sight of the six menacing prisoners, is asked to identify himself, he quavers, 'Bahadur!'