Latest news with #TheEken:BenaraseBibhishika
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Summer releases vacation more fun for kids
1 2 3 4 5 6 Kolkata: This May, children's cinema has become a talking point in Bengal. The latest instalment in the 'Eken' franchise — Joydeep Mukherjee 's 'The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika' — has seen back-to-back houseful shows at both single screens and multiplexes with families queuing up in large numbers. Meanwhile, Saurav Palodhi's 'Onko Ki Kothin', another Bengali film featuring child protagonists, made headlines due to piracy. The producer has approached the Kolkata Police commissioner to digitally trace those responsible for this violation of the film, which was screened as part of the Indian Panorama at the latest edition of IFFI. City's exhibitors are delighted with the response. Suranjan Paul, owner of Minar and Bijoli, described this 'Eken' film as a 'shooting star'. "It came and quietly became a big sensation with a barrage of queries from film lovers about show timings. We had one show each at each theatre. In the first week, the shows were houseful within minutes of opening the booking counter," Paul said. The film's director told TOI that this is the first instance of a book being adapted into a series and then being adapted into a feature film. "Even Sujan-da (author Sujan Dasgupta) used to say that most started reading his books after the series became a hit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stoke-on-trent: If You Were Born Between 1940-1975 You Could Be Eligible For This Life Cover Reassured Get Quote Undo During summer holidays, a lot of kids came to watch the film. Added to that was the surprise footfall of teenagers who are otherwise hooked on Marvel comics and 'Mission Impossible' kind of movies," Mukherjee said. Interestingly, the Eken franchise has slowly been tailored to appeal to children. "The original book was not written for kids. We tailored it into child-friendly content when kids started liking it. Eken Babu used to smoke earlier, but now he doesn't. This film doesn't have any gory depiction of violence or use of slang, leading to its acceptance among children, teenagers, and the elderly as well," said actor Anirban Chakrabarti who plays Eken Babu in the film. "The film's release has reignited enthusiasm in single screens across Bengal — many of which are seeing houseful shows after a long time," said Soumya Mukherjee, COO of hoichoi that co-produced the film. Producer Rana Sarkar acknowledged that the huge success of the Eken film has prompted him to shift the release of 'OKK' by a week. "Two franchises — Eken and Sonada — are perhaps bigger draws in Tollywood now than even Feluda and Byomkesh. Parents wait for the next instalment of these franchises so that they can take their kids to watch them. Our film is not a competitor to the Eken release. We released it on May 23 at 14 theatres including INOX-PVR, Nandan, Radha and Nazrul Tirtha, among others," Sarkar said. On Monday, when most movies see a dip in footfall, Sarkar was shocked to see that pirated links were available on telegram. "This is a serious copyright infringement and severely impacts the business prospects of the film. I have met the commissioner of police to investigate the matter to find who did it, initiate steps to block down and take down the infringed content from sites and prevent further unauthorised distribution of the film across online platforms," Sarkar added.
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Eken Babu returns in his most thrilling adventure yet with The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika
The beloved detective Eken Babu is back on the big screen with The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika , a thrilling and witty mystery set against the vibrant and ancient city of Benaras. This latest installment has opened to thunderous applause, with both audiences and critics praising its engaging storyline, cultural richness , and the signature humour that defines the franchise. At a glittering special screening attended by celebrated figures from Bengali cinema , television, and music, the film received an outpouring of appreciation and admiration. Stars including Prosenjit Chatterjee, Chiranjeet Chakraborty, Kaushik Ganguly, Tota Roy Choudhury, and many others graced the red carpet, their presence adding glamour and warmth to the evening. The film follows Eken Babu, once again portrayed by Anirban Chakrabarti , as he unravels a dangerous mystery threatening the sanctity of an ancient festival in Benaras. With his trusted companions Babi Babu (Suhotra Mukhopadhyay) and Pramatha (Somak Ghosh), he dives into a web of deception and intrigue. Saswata Chatterjee delivers a standout performance in multiple roles, while Ishaa Saha's enigmatic Damini keeps the audience guessing. A strong ensemble cast, including Gaurav Chakrabarty, Biswanath Basu, Debesh Chattopadhyay, Rishav Basu, Sagnik, and Swikriti Majumdar, enrich the narrative with layered characters. With captivating visuals, clever twists, and heartfelt moments, The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika is being hailed as the detective's finest outing yet — a film that celebrates storytelling, culture, and the enduring charm of Eken Babu. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Hindustan Times
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Saswata Chatterjee says he is lucky to be a part Eken Babu franchise: ‘I love watching it as a viewer'
Actor Saswata Chatterjee is no stranger to playing characters who have a few shades of grey. His turn as Bob Biswas in Kahaani remains iconic to this day. So how is his upcoming character Belal Mallik in The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika different? To begin with, he is the master of disguise. Ahead of the release of the new Eken film on Friday, the actor talks about stepping into 11 roles for one part, his love for the Eken films and more (Translated from Bengali). (Also read: 'Eken Babu has given me identity as an actor': Anirban Chakrabarti | Interview) The actor adds, 'The USP of the film is of course how Belal transforms himself into these many characters, but also how Eken Babu is able to solve this mystery that follows him. There are a total of 11 looks! I love all of them, it is difficult for me to choose one to be honest. What I am looking forward to see is which look gets the most love from the audience.' Over the years, Eken Babu has grown a tremendous fan base. The actor admits that he is also a big fan. 'It is a great opportunity because there is so much variety in one film. To be a part of a franchise like Eken itself is great… I have loved watching the show as a viewer, and I am lucky to be a part of it. It is such an interesting world,' he says. The actor was last seen in Netflix's Khakee: The Bengal Chapter. There too, he essayed an antagonistic part. Saswata is clear on how he sees these parts, and explains, 'Each character has their own point of view. No one really turns negative right after taking birth! They have their own belief system from which they function, so it is a clash of interest between Belal and Eken.' The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika stars Anirban Chakrabarti, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Ishaa Saha, and Biswanath Basu. The film is all set to release in theatres on May 16.
Hindustan Times
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Eken Babu has given me identity as an actor': Anirban Chakrabarti
Anirban Chakrabarti is well aware of the massive love his sly and lovable detective Eken Babu has got over the years. In an exclusive interaction with Hindustan Times ahead of the release of The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika, the actor opened up about how it is always a joy to return to the character, shooting in Varanasi during the scorching Summers, and more. (Translated from Bengali) (Also read: Anirban Bhattacharya opens up on Hoichoi series Bhog: 'It was an incredible offer as an actor' | Interview) What has been the best part about playing Eken? The actor says, 'Out of all the characters I have played, Eken has become the most popular. It has become a franchise. I have played this character a total of 11 times! This is a rare occurrence for an actor. We started our journey with this character first in the web series format. Then it became popular, so we did a movie, and that became successful as well. So here we are… this entire journey has given us so much joy, and I must admit that as an actor, Eken has played a huge role in giving me an identity.' 'People have for the first time identified me for this part. It is my first major break, it has become a part of my identity as an actor… which is still continuing. People love me as Eken, which is extremely important to me,' he adds. As the title The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika suggests, this time Eken Babu and gang will be in Varanasi for all solving a mystery. When asked how it was shooting in the city, Anirban said, 'Varanasi is one of my most favourite places to visit. I have been there multiple times as well. It is such a diverse city, spiritually and culturally rich. Usually, it is during the winters when I prefer to go to Varanasi. But this time we had to shoot during the summers, which was just a lot! The entire day time we had outdoor shoots, and face the rays of the sun. Now that was painful!' He went on to say, 'Of course, when one is shooting, there are fewer chances of sightseeing, and we were there during Holi. The festival has an important part to play in our film, and this time we saw the Masan Holi, which happens three days before the main day. It is played with ashes. That aside, Varanasi is known for its ghats, the small lanes and the Ganga aroti… those are also part of the film. During the shoot, we had to do a boat ride and go to the location in a ghat with all the technicians. We had to avoid the evenings because the place would get crowded due to the aroti.' The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika also brings back director Joydeep Mukherjee to the helm. Anirban gushes about working with Joydeep and says, 'This is my 12th film with him. What happens is that when an actor and a director work together many times, the work becomes so much easier. Both of us are able to interpret the scenes in a much more flexible manner because we know each other's patterns of work. That is an interesting and helpful point, which has taken place during the shoot of this film. It really does ease out so much. The schedules are very packed, so this tuning becomes really helpful. Joydeep, as a director, is very sorted, every aspect of the shoot is so well divided that for each and every actor in the cast, it becomes really easy. The camera angles, which shot will be done on a day, everything is decided before. As an actor, it is the best ever situation.' Anirban concludes with a special message for the fans of Eken Babu. 'The people have given so much love to Eken Babu, and this film promises a bigger thrill this time. It has been shot in a bigger way, and we have tried to do our best with this film as well. There are so many new faces this time, and the combination has been wonderful for the film. I am hopeful that the audience will love Eken this time,' he says. The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika also stars Saswata Chatterjee, Gaurav Chakrabarty, Ishaa Saha, and Biswanath Basu. The film is all set to release in theatres on May 16.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Secrets in the smoke: Every face hides a clue in The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika
In 'The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika,' director Joydeep Mukherjee crafts a suspenseful narrative set in Benaras, where Eken Babu's vacation turns into a quest to unravel layers of deceit. As Eken, Bapi, and Pramatha navigate shifting motives and hidden secrets among a cast of intriguing characters like Belal Mallik, Damini, and Subimal, the audience is kept guessing. In The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika , director Joydeep Mukherjee weaves a gripping tale where every character is a potential suspect. Set against the mystical backdrop of Benaras, the story is a maze of shifting motives, secrets, and suspense. The narrative deftly leverages its ensemble, with each figure harbouring secrets, motives, and shadows that heighten the sense of the story unfolds, the spotlight moves fluidly between characters. A suspect one moment may seem innocent the next, as new alibis emerge and actions cast fresh doubts. Just as one mystery appears to unravel, another takes its place—ensuring the plot remains tense, layered, and thoroughly unpredictable. The characters are intricately and thoughtfully crafted—none purely virtuous, none entirely villainous. Their histories, desires, and insecurities are tightly woven into the fabric of the plot, each interaction adding depth to the mounting tension. A seemingly harmless figure may suddenly arouse suspicion, while a presumed antagonist slowly unveils unexpected complexity. This constant play of appearances and revelations keeps the audience in a state of uncertainty, ensuring the narrative remains gripping. Here's a little sneak peek into the characters: Eken Babu (Anirban Chakrabarti) returns — quirky, sharp, and unafraid to laugh in the face of danger. What starts as a vacation soon plunges into darkness as he uncovers layers of deceit. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Get Intel Laptops With Exclusive Student Perks Intel Laptops | Search Ads Learn More Undo Bapi (Suhotra Mukhopadhyay) and Pramatha (Somak Ghosh) are back as Eken's steadfast allies, though the mystery tests even their loyalty and wits. New faces raise new questions: Belal Mallik ( Saswata Chatterjee ) – many disguises, one enigma. Damini (Ishaa Saha) – a young wife hiding more than sorrow. Subimal (Gaurav Chakrabarty) – the scholar who might know too much. Sukhdev (Biswanath Basu) – a charming shop owner with shady layers. Bireswar (Debesh Chattopadhyay) – ailing, forgetful… but is he also hiding something? Samiran (Rishav Basu) – the assistant with a secret life in art. Radhika (Swikriti Majumder) – quiet, polite, but oddly inconsistent. In Benaras, nothing is as it seems — and no one is beyond suspicion.
