A Leap of Faith: Retired Teacher Finds Stardom in Malayalam Film Eko

Retired college teacher Biana Momin made a bold decision that few would dare: leaving her comfortable life in the Garo Hills of Meghalaya to act in the Malayalam film Eko.

The journey came with many challenges as she had to step into unfamiliar territory. Biana had to master a language that was completely alien to her.

“Growing up, my town did not have a cinema or theatre,” she told the BBC. She did not undergo any formal acting training—“unless you’d call teaching in a classroom a kind of performance,” she said with a laugh.

“I was initially hesitant, as I had no experience in acting and was concerned about the long travel from home,” she explained. “But my daughter nudged me, saying, ‘Have faith in yourself and try something new.’”

She learned her Malayalam lines with the help of a language coach. Filming was physically demanding—long treks up steep mountains, unpredictable weather, and heavy equipment tested the endurance of the cast and crew. Yet Biana embraced the experience fully.

“I am a strong woman,” she said. “I didn’t fall sick despite the weather, and I was adventurous enough to try the cuisine in Kerala.”

In the 2025 Malayalam mystery thriller Eko, Biana delivered a powerful performance as Mlaathi, earning widespread appreciation from audiences.

The English literature teacher from Tura Government College has more surprises in store.

Following the success of Eko, filmmakers from Bollywood have approached her with new scripts. “Acting is strenuous work,” she said with honesty. “Let’s see what surprises are in store.”

The Plot

Mohan Pothan arrives at a remote lodge near the Kerala–Karnataka border in search of his missing friend Kuriachan, a feared criminal with a mysterious past.

Guided deep into the Western Ghats, he enters an isolated estate inhabited by Kuriachan’s enigmatic wife, Mlaathi, and a househelp named Peeyoos, where rumours of trained dogs, hidden crimes, and old betrayals linger in the mist.

When Pothan’s visit ends in tragedy, multiple figures—loggers, a man claiming to be from the Navy, and shadowy intermediaries—begin circling the estate, each pursuing their own version of the truth behind Kuriachan’s disappearance.

Secrets from World War II–era Malaya surface, revealing how love, violence, and obsession with power over both humans and animals shaped the lives bound to this place.

As false identities unravel and loyalties are tested, the Western Ghats themselves seem to silently witness past sins closing in on the present.

With trained dogs roaming freely and unseen eyes tracking every move, the story builds toward a chilling confrontation where control, captivity, and revenge blur—leaving the audience uneasy about who is truly free and who has been trapped all along.

The film features Sandeep Pradeep, Saurabh Sachdeva, Binu Pappu, and Vineeth Narain in pivotal roles. Despite being made on a modest budget, Eko has gone on to achieve remarkable commercial success, cementing its place as one of the most talked-about Malayalam thrillers of the year.