Opinion The film is over, but it hasn’t left you. ‘Eko’ is storytelling that plays with the rules
What is the film about, you wonder? Eko makes the answer to such a question difficult owing to the nature of its storytelling -- layered, languid and taking time to unravel
What is the film about, you wonder? ‘Eko’ makes the answer to such a question difficult owing to the nature of its storytelling -- layered, languid and taking time to unravel. (Credit: Instagram/@cinema_soothran) 
When I went to see the Malayalam film Eko at a Pune theatre, it repeatedly reminded me that there is no substitute for competent storytelling in cinema. Eko doesn’t feature big stars. Instead, it is supported by a wonderful ensemble cast, with the promising young actor Sandeep Pradeep playing an important role. The biggest asset of the film is the story and the way it has been told. Unique experiments with narrative are one of the hallmarks of new-age Malayalam cinema, endearing these films to a pan-India audience at a time when mainstream Hindi cinema is significantly diminished on that front.
What is the film about, you wonder? Eko makes the answer to such a question difficult owing to the nature of its storytelling —layered, languid and taking time to unravel. Throughout the first half, you are left thinking where it might lead to. It takes us back in time exploring Kerala’s maritime relations with Malaysia and evokes local legends and the lush geography of the state. The latter is not a prop but a supporting character in the story. Understanding it is integral to the film. And yet, you are still left waiting for an event to occur around which the film may pivot. However, Eko defies all such expectations. It can be categorised as a thriller which doesn’t sound, act or feel like one.
A large part of the film revolves around the disappearance of Kuriyachan, a trader of sorts, lover of dogs and alleged doer of many dubious deeds. But as an audience you feel that there’s more to the film than just that one event. It is an interesting way to craft a thriller where you see the genre being gradually stripped of its conventions. The film is not just trying to solve the case of Kuriyachan’s disappearance, there are tangled histories of the region and other characters equally important to the plot. It would be unfair not to mention the incredible collaboration between the film’s director Dinjith Ayyathan and writer-cinematographer Bahul Ramesh, who had also made the excellent Kishkindha Kaandam (2024).
One could argue that Eko begins to unravel after the interval. But even if the puzzle of the disappearance gets solved, there are numerous questions about various characters, their motivations, and backstories that run through your head. You realise these are worthy questions too, that perhaps the lack of clarity is intentional. The film is over but it hasn’t left you. In this age of shrinking attention spans, isn’t that an admirable achievement?
Eko features an ending the audience is unprepared for. The expectations of retributive justice remain at bay. I wasn’t even sure it was over until the lights came on. There are many instances when Eko catches you off guard, restoring the joy of being surprised by cinema. That is the triumph of its storytelling and that too in a mainstream format.
The writer teaches literature and film at FLAME University, Pune
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