The new Eken Babu film starring Anirban Chakrabarti as the quirky sleuth will release in theatres on May 16, Hoichoi Studios announced on Saturday. Titled The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishikha, the latest instalment of the detective franchise is set in Varanasi.
The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishikha is part of the four-film slate announced by Hoichoi Studios for 2025. The other releases this year from the studio include, Kader Kuler Bou, created by Srijit Roy and Souvik Chakraborty, Kumir Danga, directed by Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Gora-e Gondogol, created by Sahana Dutta.
Anirban Chakrabarti is set to reprise his role as the quirky and sharp-witted sleuth, Ekendra Sen aka Eken Babu, who this time finds himself in Varanasi. The Joydeep Mukherjee-directed film is based on a novel written by Sujan Dasgupta. Somak Ghosh and Suhatro Mukhopadhyay reprise their roles as Promotho and Bapi, Eken’s loyal companions.
“Mystery will be solved on the ghats of Benaras this time. Eken Babu will be served thandai and thrills. Hoichoi Studios brings Eken Babu back on the big screen. See you this summer vacation. #TheEken: Benaras e Bibhishikha, film directed by @joydeep09 in cinemas 16th May,” the official handle of the studio wrote on X.
Eken Babu first captured audiences’ hearts in March 2018 with its debut on Hoichoi. The series, based on stories by Sujan Dasgupta, introduced viewers to an unassuming yet brilliant detective. Over the years, Eken Babu’s adventures have spanned various locations, including Bengaluru, Kolkata, Murshidabad, Dhaka, Tungkulung and Puri.
In addition to its streaming success, Eken Babu has made a seamless transition to the big screen, with two feature films to its credit. The first film, The Eken, hit theaters in April 2022, taking the detective to Darjeeling for a case. The second, The Eken: Ruddhaswas Rajasthan, released in April 2023, showcased an investigation in Rajasthan.
Puro Puri Eken, the eighth instalment in the Eken Babu web series franchise, dropped on Hoichoi earlier this year.