Eko ज़रूर देखो !

‘Eko’ ज़रूर देखो: My quick take on the Malayalam movie “Eko” (Netflix)

Thank you, Jubin Titus , for recommending this Bahul Ramesh thriller. Little did I know I was stepping straight into the third and final chapter of the “Animal Trilogy” by this writer–director duo. Thankfully, I had already watched the earlier two, Kishkindakandam and Kerala Crime Files, which made the experience richer.

Fresh off a successful theatrical run in November ’25, Eko is now streaming on Netflix in multiple languages. Bahul Ramesh is clearly a hatke writer, someone who trusts the audience enough to leave scenes open-ended, letting imagination do the heavy lifting. I found that incredibly creative, though I can see it not appealing to viewers who prefer neatly tied backstories and elaborate setups.

The layered mystery rests on a deceptively simple premise: “The thin line between protection and restriction.”

At its core, the film is a manhunt, for Kuriachan, by multiple agencies. Who he is, is slowly revealed, but why he is wanted is deliberately left to the audience’s interpretation. And honestly, that ambiguity is the hallmark of confident, creative writing.

A pleasant surprise was seeing the writer himself behind the camera, perhaps to ensure his vision remained undiluted. The result is striking. The gloomy, brooding landscape of God’s Own Country is captured so evocatively that nature itself becomes an active character in the plot.

No spoilers from me, but trust me, this one will give you मज़ा कीर-कीरा. That said, it is a slow-burn mystery and does feel a bit stretched at places, which might test the patience of some viewers.

My only grouse: the casting of a few non-Malayali actors. Saurabh Sachdev may have landed the role courtesy that thick, very-Kerala-style moustache, but I felt a native Malayali actor could have brought more authenticity to the character. Similarly, the Malaysian character, though performed brilliantly, could, in my view, have just as effectively been written as an Indian character within the plot.

On the brighter side, the actor who played Peeyoosh was simply brilliant, someone to definitely watch out for in the future. Performances like his reinforce the feeling that the Malayalam industry is actively harvesting a next generation of exceptional actors, quietly and confidently.

Performance-wise overall, everyone delivers, as expected from Malayalam cinema. Even the canines, who play a key role in the narrative, deserve a special mention.

Eko, which sounds unmistakably like “echo”, truly echoes in your ears long after the film ends. For me, it works as a powerful metaphor. With an echo, you never hear the original sound, only its rebound, the version that reaches you after bouncing off unseen surfaces. Likewise in Eko, what is presented in front of you often feels like a rebound image. The original truth could be something entirely different.

Oops… is that a spoiler?

Or just a cryptic clue, very much in the filmmaker’s playful, open-ended style?

Overall, Watching Eko feels like standing before a vast canvas that reveals its secrets layer by layer.

And finally, this film stands as a strong testimony to Malayalam filmmakers, that you don’t need BIG names to deliver box-office success. Content is KING, indeed.

If you enjoy Zara hatke plots, don’t miss this one.