Eken Babu in Kerala: Bengal’s popular detective crosses boundaries to meet a new culture

Bengalis and Malayalis share a deep love for literature and cinema. From Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen to Malayalam films like 'Vaasthuhara', stories have long travelled between the two regions. Now, one of Bengal’s best-loved fictional detectives is making his way to Kerala, where a terrorist threat, unfamiliar surroundings and a new culture await him.

Played by Anirban Chakrabarti, Ekendra Sen, better known as Eken Babu, has solved mysteries in Darjeeling, Rajasthan and Banaras. In 'The Eken: Kerala e-Kurukshetra’, the fourth film in the franchise, he finds himself in God’s Own Country, where the investigation is as much about discovering the place as solving the crime.

More than a detective story
For director Joydeep Mukherjee, Kerala is not merely a collection of beautiful locations. He wants Eken Babu to experience the culture of every place he visits. “Eken Babu is someone who picks up the dialects and the food of the place he is in. That is one of the things that sets the character and the franchise apart,” he tells Onmanorama.

The film takes viewers from Fort Kochi and the backwaters of Alappuzha to Athirappilly, the Malayattoor forests and the hills of Munnar. The shoot was initially planned for February but was postponed to September, as Mukherjee wanted to capture Kerala at its greenest, after the rains. “We had less greenery than I had hoped for. Since it was my first visit to Kerala, I felt it would be better to shoot after the rains,” he says.

Yet, it is the film’s engagement with local traditions that adds another layer to the journey. Theyyam features in the concluding portions, shot in Kannur. Mukherjee says the team wanted to bring the culture of the region into the story, much as they incorporated Masaan Holi in the Banaras-set instalment.

“We always think about the culture of the place, not just its tourist attractions. That is why we included it,” he says. For Malayali audiences, Theyyam offers a familiar cultural touchstone, while Bengali viewers get a glimpse of a tradition that may be new to them. It is a meeting of cultures that goes beyond the usual travelogue.

A Bengali detective in a Malayalam-speaking world
Bringing Kerala to the screen also meant getting the language right. The cast trained in Malayalam with the help of Sankaran Kutty, a teacher from Kerala. Malayali actor Shyna Nair plays a police officer associated with an anti-terrorist squad that ‘kidnaps’ Eken Babu to Kerala. Reema Sen also speaks Malayalam in the film.

Though the story revolves around a serious threat, the makers have retained the humour that makes Eken Babu so popular. They say they were careful not to let cultural differences become easy punchlines. “Though the subject is serious, we have ensured that it has elements of fun,” Joydeep says.

Having first won audiences through a popular Bengali web series before moving to the big screen, Eken Babu has built a following with his quirky charm and unconventional approach to detective work. His Kerala adventure takes the character beyond familiar territory while keeping his personality intact.

For Malayali audiences, the film offers the pleasure of seeing their landscapes, language and traditions through the eyes of a Bengali detective. It also builds on a longstanding connection between Bengali and Malayalam cinema, where stories and influences have travelled across regions for generations.

The makers are in talks with exhibitors to bring the film to Kerala theatres. And perhaps that is what makes this adventure worth watching: a detective arrives in search of answers, only to discover a new place, its people and the little things that make it unique.