After weeks of speculation and impatient fans refreshing their apps, the wait is finally over for those who missed Eko in theatres. Netflix India confirmed on Friday that the Malayalam thriller will begin streaming on December 31. The film will be available not just in its original language but also with dubbed versions in Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu, opening it up to a much wider audience across the country.
Starring Sandeep Pradeep in the lead role, Eko emerged as one of the year’s most talked-about Malayalam films, not just for its moody narrative and layered performances but also for the kind of box office performance few saw coming. The film, which released in theatres on November 21 alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Vilaayath Budha, steadily built momentum through word of mouth rather than opening-day frenzy.
From dark horse to Rs 45 crore club
According to Sacnilk, Eko collected a little over Rs 45 crore in its first 21 days of theatrical run. The Kerala Film Producers’ Association has since classified the film as a “hit” in its recently published list of 2025 Malayalam releases. That tag, however, has sparked its own debate online.
The reason is simple. Eko was reportedly made on a modest budget of around Rs 5 crore. By traditional yardsticks, a tenfold return would usually place a film in the superhit category. Social media is abuzz with fans questioning whether the official classification undersells the film’s commercial impact.
Regardless of labels, the numbers underline how rare Eko’s trajectory has been. It did not rely on star power or formula-driven spectacle. Instead, it leaned into atmosphere, mystery, and a narrative that trusted viewers to stay patient.
A haunting search and the Animal Trilogy
At its core, Eko revolves around the search for a man named Kuriachan, played by Saurabh Sachdeva. Multiple characters set out to trace him, but the deeper they go, the more unsettling truths about his past begin to surface. What starts as a procedural hunt soon becomes a meditation on loyalty, control, and the invisible rules that bind people together.
The supporting cast includes Biana Momin, Vineeth, Binu Pappu, Narain, Ashokan, and Renjit Shekar, each bringing a lived-in realism to characters who are more defined by silences than speeches. Shot against mist-laden hill stations, the film is as much about landscape as it is about people. Viewers and critics alike have praised its immersive quality, noting how the foggy terrains and isolated interiors mirror the moral ambiguity of the story.
Eko also holds a special place in writer Bahul Ramesh’s so called Animal Trilogy, following Kishkindha Kaandam and Kerala Crime Season 2. True to the trilogy’s name, dogs play a crucial narrative role here as well, functioning not merely as props but as emotional and symbolic anchors within the story.
The film reunites director Dinjith Ayyathan with Bahul, who doubles up as writer and cinematographer, along with their trusted team. Composer Mujeeb Majeed’s restrained score, Sooraj ES’s precise editing, and Sajeesh Thamarassery’s art direction collectively shape a world that feels eerily plausible.
Produced by MRK Jhayaram under the Aaradyaa Studios banner, Eko arrives on Netflix at a time when Malayalam cinema is increasingly finding global audiences through streaming. Its multilingual release ensures that the film’s quiet tension and thematic depth will travel well beyond Kerala.
As December 31 approaches, Eko is poised to get a fresh lease of life, this time in living rooms rather than darkened theatres. Whether viewers call it a hit or a superhit, the film has already secured something far more valuable. A reputation as one of the year’s most distinctive Malayalam thrillers.
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