The Malayalam thriller 'Eko', starring Sandeep Pradeep, continues its steady run in cinemas, demonstrating solid audience retention as it completes a two-week theatrical journey. The film, directed by Dinjith Ayyathan, has now crossed a significant milestone in its domestic collections.
Steady Collections Over Two Weeks
According to early estimates from industry trackers, 'Eko' collected approximately Rs 50 lakhs (India net) on its fourteenth day in theatres. This consistent performance has propelled the film's cumulative earnings to an impressive Rs 20.50 crore in India. The collections earlier in the week showed a stable pattern, with the film garnering Rs 75 lakhs on day 12 and Rs 55 lakhs on day 13 before the day 14 figure.
Audience turnout has remained resilient. Data indicates that on Thursday, December 4, the film registered an overall Malayalam occupancy rate of 10.53%. The night shows performed particularly well, reaching an occupancy of 15.08% on the same day. This stable performance suggests sustained interest in the psychological thriller beyond its opening week.
The Creative Spark: From a Single Line to a Full Script
In an exclusive revelation, writer Bahul Ramesh shared the unconventional origin story of 'Eko' with ETimes. Contrary to a structured approach, the entire narrative sprouted from one compelling line of dialogue that stuck in his mind.
“There’s a dialogue in the film — ‘Sometimes protection and restriction, they both look the same.’ It hit me out of the blue, and I couldn’t shake off the layers of meaning it carried,” Ramesh explained. He added that the initial visual catalyst came from observing animals, specifically guard dogs. This led him to a pivotal question: “I imagined guarding dogs and wondered — what if this ‘protection’ was actually something more sinister? What if something that appears as A is actually B? That was the spark.”
The writer, who describes his process as intuitive, emphasized that he began with no predefined characters, plot, or backdrop. “I had no characters, no plot, no backdrop — just that line. I write intuitively, starting with one scene and letting the next unfold naturally from it,” he stated, detailing how the complex thriller evolved organically from that single philosophical concept.
Cast and Continued Prospects
'Eko' features a strong ensemble cast including Sandeep Pradeep, Vineeth, Narain Kumar, Binu Pappu, and Ashokan. The film's ability to maintain a steady box office pace in its second week, coupled with its unique creative genesis, makes it a notable release in the current Malayalam cinema landscape. The stable occupancy rates indicate that word-of-mouth is working in the film's favor, potentially extending its theatrical life as it moves into its third week.
