- Date of Release: 21 November 2025
- Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Drama
- Language: Malayalam
- Watch On: Theatres Only
Eko
Introduction
Imagine walking into a room which is cluttered – with things scattered and in an absolute mess, while you are being tasked with cleaning it in order for it to look presentable. Alternately, think of a giant jigsaw puzzle wherein the pieces are scattered only later on, for bits to come together in order for the picture to get clearer. Like the Malayalam film Kishkindha Kaandam (2024), the makers of Eko employ a similar structure here. As a plugin, it is important to note on how the narrative style of Eko deviates from the normal three-act structure, only to deconstruct it and present it like an onion – a vegetable that has layers. And with every little layer being peeled off, a small but important detailing about the characters weaves around like an exposition that would allow you to perceive the drama in a fresh new light. It is a format that remains very specific to the Malayalam Film Industry who are known to experiment with the narrative styles, thereby allowing you to unlearn and learn the manner in which to approach a film from the viewers’ perspective.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Bahul Ramesh (don’t lose sight of this name anytime soon, you will hear a lot more of him going forward), the central conflict of Eko (a clever metaphor given that in Japanese, it literally means echo) is kept hidden from the viewers, only partially flirting with the idea of it early on. The metaphor of the same is employed through its setting of the hilly region of Kaattukunnu – a mountain of haze located between the border of Kerala and Karnataka, so much so that it holds the truth buried in a sea of haze. In the initial reels, you are fed with a character Kuriachan (Saurabh Sachdeva; revealed after the first act) with the only detail being on how he remains a dog trainer and dog lover while having being disappeared lately. It is the kind of hook that might seem to be simple, but it isn’t – just like the drama that wishes to feed you with a lot of information through its exchanges, thereby making it complex. A lapse in concentration (particularly for folks relying on subtitles) and you may well be lost in the narrative. But it is the kind of drama that demands your attention even while revealing startling truths about Eko – his disappearance followed by a wild goose chase involving a navy captain, some maoists, a bus driver and his assistant and a police officer. All while making us increasingly intrigued of his personality.
Parallely, you are also introduced to Eko’s Malaysian wife Mlaathi (Biana Momin) who lives a secluded life in the mountains while being rumoured to practice black magic – a trait often used against women in a patriarchal setup. Her home is not easily accessible thereby prompting even a doctor to be transported in a limited set of time to aide her, in a scene. To give her company is Peeyoos (Sandeep Pradeep), a regular young boy who is tasked with taking care of her in exchange for a monthly salary. The characterization is such that nothing is really established even as Peeyoos is pulled up by a Navy Officer (Narain) who is investigating the disappearance of Kuriachan – who is told to have multiple properties in different cities. Previously, Kuriachan’s friend and confidant Mohan (Vineeth) was on a similar spree, although no one really knows of his current existence. At some point, even a bus driver Sukumaran (Binu Pappu) and his assistant Soman (Renjit Shekar) get involved, and one important sentiment tagged to every character remains that of angst and curiosity, something that is contrasting to that of Mlaathi who largely remains dead-pan and calm.
The devil lies in the details here wherein every scene holds a moment of exposition. Things aren’t shown just for the sake of it – be it in a scene wherein you spot Mlaathi dropping milk for the ants. It may seem that it has much to do with her affinity for nature and its creatures around (she is surrounded by dogs), but later it is revealed on how it remains a ritual to ensure that her food isn’t poisoned. Peeyoos on the other hand doesn’t have an affinity for dogs – in a scene, you see him telling a character on how he stayed on a tree for two days whilst being surrounded by dogs until Mlaathi arrived. Peeyoos is a young boy quietly hiding ‘adult’ magazines in his bedside, something that can be viewed superficially as a cause of escapism. But a note in the magazine that he writes and later posts, reveals a different picture. Nothing is what it seems!
A clever transition into an extended flashback reveals a clearer picture about Mlaathi and Kuriachan, while introducing the viewers to its central theme – Protection and Restriction at times feel the same….There is a hint of KG George’s Irakal (1985) or even Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Vidheyan (1994) with the master and slave theme that the drama wishes to employ, something that actively extends to the breed of dogs in the drama while also equating them to the central theme with respect to its characters. In that sense, the drama does work on perceptions that it wishes to create with respect to all of its characters, before flipping the narrative on its head.
The beauty of the narrative lies in the fact that it doesn’t spoonfeed the viewers here. So in a scene wherein a couple of the characters are poisoned, you don’t see the exact moment wherein the culprit has poured some poison. Likewise, a potential reveal with respect to a potential flashback doesn’t arrive, even as the writer chooses to stay in the moment with his character. This, even while employing the Chekof’s Gun technique, particularly with the use of bamboo sticks filled with rice – something that has a huge relevance at the end. The perceptions with respect to the character of Kuriachan continues to shift – going from a dog-lover to a conman and a fugitive, only to end on a climax that will be discussed for the ages.
The climax reminded me of the structure of the reveal in Kishkindha Kaandam (2024), wherein everything adds up at the end. The edge that Kishkindha Kaandam had over this was on how every possibility does meet with a deadend. In Eko, the focus unfolds around the dynamics of the characters even while circling back to its central theme of protection and restriction. Every character is tied by fate, every move is an act of revenge and every action with hold a consequence, even as the fate of a few characters are linked (and that is all I can reveal in this non-spoiler review of mine). This, while my jaw dropped for every little detail was in front of me, or possibly hidden in the haze of Kaattukunnu. This has got to be one of the most supremely effective screenplays that are immersive and have a solid payoff at the end.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
One aspect of filmmaking that will divide the viewers will be the use of dialogues, that makes the narrative dense with a sufficient amount of information dump coupled with crucial moments of exposition. This is particularly true given how the makers choose to keep the conflict hidden, almost coaxing you to decipher the giant jigsaw puzzle. It is the kind of patience that you require in witnessing test cricket, wherein you aren’t sure where it is headed until the final moments of the match. For me personally, the drama remained cerebral and stimulating particularly because it forced me to think while staying in the moment with its character.
The music and the BGM by Mujeeb Majeed remains immersive here, so must so that the notes anticipate an ominous turn even before the exposition takes place. It is a smart tactic in always keeping the viewers on their toes, in anticipation of a reveal to follow. The cinematography by Bahul Ramesh (told you, don’t lose sight of his name) is incredible in creating an ambience of mystery and intrigue through frames that effectively use the haze to conceal a sparkling secret. This, even as the frames keep you at a little distance from its characters, far away to stay emotionally distant and just close enough to keep you glued to their journeys.
The editor Sooraj E.S. deserves a massive raise given the complicated structure employed here wherein each scene is curated in order to reveal something more about its characters. It is like a giant jigsaw puzzle that has edits within sub-edits so much so that this was a risky proposition on paper. But the ease with which the edit is handled is not only impressive but supremely reflective of the prowess of Sooraj as the editor.
Director Dinjith Ayyathan had massive expectations riding on his shoulders after the success of his previous venture Kishkindha Kaandam (2024). And despite that pressure, Dinjith calmly takes upon himself another challenging piece of cinema boasting of a complex narrative style that could have gone wrong so easily. But there is definitely a grip that he maintains in the narrative, challenging the preset three-act structure and in turn delivering one of the most immersive mystery thrillers of the year. My heart goes to him for this huge leap, especially in times when my intelligence is taken for granted with a film like Mastiii 4 (2025), out on the same weekend. The direction is excellent here throughout the narrative.
Performances
The performances remain stellar by the members of the cast, even as the choice of casting remains an interesting talking point here. Ng Hung Shen as Soyi’s husband has his moments to shine. Binu Pappu as Sukumaran and Renjit Shekar as Soman are important cogs in the narrative, and both of them add a sinister streak and intensity to their respective performances. Saheer Muhammed as Pappachan is sincere while ably contributing to the mystery of the drama. The veterans like Narain as the Navy Officer, Vineeth as Mohan and Ashokan as Appootty are competent while maintaining a grip on the narrative with their stellar acts. Sim Zhi Fei as Young Soyi has a magnificent screen presence while having a flair for emotions that she employs perfectly with her act.
Saurabh Sachdeva as Kuriachan (dubbed ably by Bilas Chandrahasan) plays around with the perceptions of his character brilliantly. In a scene, you see him holding Soyi’s first husband accountable for his wife, while coming across as charming. But as layers begin to peel off, you see a sense of entitlement that erupts in his personality, something that is wonderfully retained with his body language. Biana Momin as Mlaathi aka Soyi uses dead-pan expressions effectively to communicate her emotions. She is understated but sincere and earnest, so much so that you are emotionally invested in her journey that traces from Malaysia to India over a period of time. And she is effective in using silence in her demeanor to convey her conflict.
Sandeep Pradeep has got to be one of the most promising young actors to be doing the rounds at the moment. As Peeyoos, he remains a complex character with a skewed moral compass being directly equated to the loyalty that he possesses. In that capacity, Sandeep delivers a deceiving act that is affable to begin with while slowly venturing into the sinister zone. And to boast of a seamless transition meant that there is tremendous control in his craft, even as he puts forth another act of brilliance here.
Conclusion
Boasting of solid performances, Eko remains one of the most supremely immersive mystery dramas of the year that is presented in a screenplay writing masterclass – defying the three-act structure and presenting you a piece of art that is not only brilliant but also will trigger a variety of theories and discussions. Hardly surprising given that it is the Malayalam Film Industry once again that smacks it out of the park. Available in a theatre near you and Highly Recommended!