Kosha mangsho, macher jhol, murder, dead body! What is the connection?! Eken Babu! Detective extraordinaire and diehard foodie. Enter the world of Eken and his goyenda giri! Eken is a distinct subversion from the legendary Feluda and Byomkesh- eccentric, goofy, bald, podgy, given to relentless bantering and faux pas. If you enjoy lighthearted who-dunnits then Eken it is!
Eken aka Enkendro Sen is a creation of Sujan Dasgupta- an Indian American author. He solves crime with his two friends Bappi (a physics professor and writer) and Promotho (a chemistry researcher).
Eken Babu found wide appreciation after the series adaptation on Hoichoi. The webseries spanned 9 seasons! The success of the OTT series enabled 3 feature length films and made Eken a huge box-office draw.
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Here is a window to his problem-solving acumen and obsessive love for food!
1. The Eken
Cast: Anirban Chakrabarty (Eken), Suhotra Mukhopadhyay (Bapi), Somak Ghosh (Promotho), Paayel Sarkar (Bipasha Mitra), Debasish Mondal (Debraj Singh), and others.
The Director: Joydeep Mukherjee
The Writer: Padmanabha Dasgupta
The Plot:
Eken and his friends, Bapi and Promotho, travel to Darjeeling for a vacation. Eken’s desire for culinary indulgence and leisure time is short-lived! The pristine valley quickly turns into an office, and Eken is pulled into a twisted case of murder and theft.
Eken is requested by a famous film star, Bipasha Mitra, to investigate the disappearance of an antique statue, a precious ancestral photograph, and a stamp that belonged to her grandfather. Added to this, Eken is requested by Bipasha’s business partner, Debraj, to investigate a murder. Eken links these 3 cases together and solves a jigsaw puzzle of lies, deceit, greed, and a hidden family mystery.
The Opinion:
With its multiple twists, plots, and subplots, the film will keep you hooked. What is laudable is Eken’s keen sense of observation and skills of deduction—the curious case of the smartwatch and the bubble wrap. He doesn’t miss a point and finds a clue where others miss. The overall pacing is swift, and the script doesn’t waste much time getting to the plot and proceedings. There are multiple characters that keep coming and going, adding to the intrigue. Although the build-up to the final reveal is flat. Predictable ending. Eken launches into a verbal explanation of the clues and mystery. It could have been dramatized visually and maintained the breezy pacing. Overall, a breezy thriller with its share of Ekenisms! Keeps you guessing and glued to the seats.
Rating: 3 out of 5
2. The Eken: Rhuddadwas Rajasthan
The Cast: Anirban Chakrabarty (Eken), Suhotra Mukhopadhyay (Bapi), Somak Ghosh (Promotho), Rajesh Sharma (Anand Gupta), Rajatava Dutta (Prof. Shatadru Ghosh), Sandipta Sen (Rajashree), and others.
The Director: Joydeep Mukherjee
The writer: Padmanabha Dasgupta
The Plot:
From the snowy mountains to the scorching golden desert of Rajasthan, yet another Eken adventure unfolds in Jaisalmer. Yet again, a simple vacation turns into an adventure, and the majestic forts of Jaisalmer turn into offices for Eken! The story deals with the theft of a few antique statues from the museum. Eken figures out that the replacements are fake. The story moves from Jaisalmer to Kuldhara to the golden sand dunes at a brisk pace. There are multiple plot twists and turns. And chases on foot, on camel backs, and in cars.
The Opinion:
The breezyness and fast paced narration make the film interesting. No dull moments or subplots. The script sticks to the main theme and keeps its pace in the lanes, palaces, and ruins of Jaisalmer.
Although the revelation doesn’t have the build-up and the punch of a gritty thriller, Eken keeps you hooked with his charm, wit, and sharp sense of observation—the curious case of caustic potash. And then you have Eken’s obsession with food and faux pas! His failed attempts to speak Rajasthani—with a dose of Bengali—add to the comic relief.
Rating: 3.6 out of 5
3. The Eken: Benaras e Bhibishika
The Cast: Anirban Chakrabarty (Eken),
Suhotra Mukhopadhyay (Bapi), Somak Ghosh (Promotho), Saswata Chatterjee (Belal Mallik), Ishaa Saha (Damini), Gaurav Chakrabarty (Subimal), Biswanath Basu (Sukhdev), and others
The Director: Joydeep Mukherjee
The Writer: Based on the original book Ideal Jewellery by Sujan Dasgupta
The Screenplay Writer: Padmanabha Dasgupta
The Plot:
From the golden sand dunes to the banks of the holy Ganges and the ancient bylanes of Benaras. Eken’s new office, and yet again, a vacation turns into a crime-solving adventure! Eken and his two friends are invited by Shubimal (an old friend of Promotho) to Banaras to witness the Masaan Holi. But soon enough, crimes start happening—stolen antiques, missing paintings, and a precious pendant. Eken gets pulled into them head-on. No sooner does the plot thicken, and Eken unearths a more sinister and deeper terror conspiracy plotted by Belal Mallik, a mastermind of disguises (Saswata Chatterjee pulls off an offbeat role in style). Eken has to race against time to avert a disaster. He uses his observational skills and sharp mind to decode hidden clues and thwart Belal’s sinister plan to disrupt the sacred Masaan Holi.
The Opinion:
The 3rd installment is far darker than the previous two films in the Eken franchise. Eken is still in his element as the food-loving bumbling idiot! The story has many interesting plot points and intriguing elements that build the mystery—the curious case of the blinking eyes. The ash-smeared sadhus, the ancient havelis, the narrow bylanes, and the holy ghats of Benaras act as the perfect backdrop for this crime caper.
The Rating: 3.6 out of 5
The Overall Acting Review:
Eken (Anirban Chakrabarty) is the heart of the film. Witty, goofy, and always hungry for khabar (food)! His style is easygoing, and he plays the bumbling idiot to perfection. But when it means business, his razor-sharp mind gets into action. With a surprising intensity, Eken has the most hardcore culprits on tenterhooks. Ably assisting him are Bapi and Promotho, his long-suffering friends and assistants—they play the perfect foil to his eccentricities. They are his conscience call as well as constant critics. And sometimes as strict school teachers keeping Eken in check—especially his indulgence with food and his faux pas! The other central characters add to the story and the intrigue. They are elements that serve Eken’s character arc—pretty unidimensional and playing their part in the film. The three films do have some well-known names from the Kolkata film industry—Saswata Chatterjee, Ishaa Saha, Payaal Sarkar, Arjun Chakrabarty, Biswanath Basu, etc. The star power added weightage and did manage to pull the audience to the theaters. The spark of these seasoned actors shows in their individual roles.
The Music:
The theme for the theatrical releases is composed by Subhadip Guha. The lyrics are by Godhuli Sharma, and the theme song is sung by Siddhartha Roy (Sidhu). The score is peppy and infused with an upbeat rock feel—it highlights the lighthearted and breezy feel of the films. The background score heightens the tension and underlines the mystery and action sequences.
Should you watch them?: Yes, please do.
The Final Word:
The movies are breezy and thrilling. The overall tone is peppy and lighthearted. The script uses scientific facts, technology, and historical facts to weave a quirky and intriguing plot. What’s interesting is that the films and the series are like a travelogue! Each story is set in a different city and its bylanes showcase its culture and vibe.
Film number four in the series—The Eken: Keralay Kurukshetra—is releasing soon! So catch up and brush up on the franchise.
Stay tuned to Koimoi for more South stories!
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