It was a slow, sunny morning when we caught up with Anirban Chakrabarti over a quick phone call. The shoot for The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika had wrapped a while ago, but the experience — its intensity, its chaos, and its colour — was still fresh in his voice.
Back as the beloved, bumbling yet brilliant sleuth Eken Babu for the 11th time, Anirban spoke to us about chasing scenes through crowded gullies, shooting beside real aghori babas at Manikarnika Ghat, and the quiet lessons the character continues to leave behind — even after all these years. Eken Babu, in his words, is one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences he’s had with the character so far.
“We’ve shot just one scene in Calcutta,” he says. “A restaurant scene, where the characters decide they’ll go to Benaras. That’s it. Everything else was in Benaras. The story was written with the city in mind — it’s not just a backdrop, it’s a living, breathing character in the film. You name it —ghats, galis, the aartis, the constant flow of people, the vibrant culture. Everything that makes Benaras what it is, we tried to bring that into the story. There’s something both timeless and unpredictable about this place. It gives you the feeling that anything can happen at any moment — and that’s exactly the energy we wanted for this film. It’s like the city is always watching and Eken Babu is trying to keep up with it.”
Benaras, with its chaotic charm, spiritual haze, and kaleidoscope of colour, shapes every frame of this thriller. “The city is famous for celebrating festivals differently, more colourfully, more deeply,” he adds. “So while we are familiar with Diwali and the famous aarti, the real centrepiece is Masan Holi, which you don’t often see in mainstream cinema.”
Unlike the usual Holi with gulal and colours, Masan Holi — also called Bhasm Holi — takes place at Manikarnika Ghat, one of the most sacred cremation sites in India. Here, sadhus and aghori babas play Holi with ashes from the funeral pyres, in a stark and spiritual celebration that reflects the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth. It’s visceral, visually striking, and deeply rooted in the city’s spiritual ethos. “The climax of our film takes place during Masan Holi,” he reveals. “Of course, we had to create a set for some parts, but much of what you see are real aghori babas playing Holi with ashes. It was a moving, almost surreal reality to shoot in.”
Not all of it was recreated. “Some of those you see on screen aren’t junior artistes — they’re locals, real people from Benaras. It adds something authentic to the world we were building.”
Anirban isn’t new to Benaras, having visited a couple of times before. But each visit, he says, changes something inside you. “It’s always packed —crowds everywhere — but somehow, you can feel alone there too. That rare kind of solitude, even in chaos, is what I love about the city.”
The shoot wasn’t without its challenges. “We have chase sequences in the narrow gullies — those lanes with shops, cows, cycles, auto-rickshaws. You can’t just build a set and replicate that. You have to shoot in it. That authenticity comes with difficulty, of course, but it’s non-negotiable.”
This film also marks the first time he shares screen space with Saswata Chatterjee. “We were meant to work together before — shot a small scene for something else, but it got edited out. So this was the first proper collaboration. Apuda, as we call him, is lovely... very down to earth. Even after his scenes, he’d sit on the ghats, chatting with us, just soaking it all in.”
Anirban lights up, talking about the cast — Ishaa Saha, Somak, Suhotra, Biswanath, Rishav. “Brilliant actors, all of them. And so much fun. We didn’t have loads of time to hang out, but whatever little we did, it stayed with us.”
When we say how inseparable he seems from Eken Babu now, Anirban bursts into laughter. “Oh, I get messages all the time — people genuinely think I am Eken in real life! I promise I’m not. I don’t go around solving crimes or obsessing over street food. This is actually my 11th time playing him, and I’m immensely grateful. It’s been a gift. Over time, of course, he’s become second nature to me. I know his rhythm, how he reacts, his small quirks — I’ve grown into him, or maybe he’s grown into me. But we’re quite different people. Eken’s a proper foodie, for one — I’m really not. What we do share, though, is our approach to work. He’s playful, lighthearted, full of warmth — but he never takes his job lightly. That’s something I relate to deeply. You can be joyful, even goofy, and still take your responsibilities seriously. Playing him has reminded me that even in chaos — even with pressure — you can choose to smile. That’s Eken. And honestly, that’s a lesson I’ve taken to heart.”
Over the years, the character has evolved. “He’s more confident now. We’ve added action sequences, so it feels like maybe he always knew how to fight, we just hadn’t seen it yet. There are new shades to him with every story. He’s layered — like an onion, really. It’s not difficult to slip into the character anymore. I know his responses, I know how he’d react. But the responsibility increases. The love the audience gives us — that trust — means we can’t take it lightly. Whether I’m playing Eken, or someone’s writing him, or directing him, that care has to be there.”
“Eken Babu was my biggest break. The kind of love and popularity the character brought me — it’s not something you can ever take for granted. I’ll always be thankful. But more than just a career milestone, Eken has stayed with me in a personal way. I haven’t changed who I am because of him, but he’s definitely taught me something lasting. He’s always smiling, always hopeful— even in the face of crime, chaos, and the constant weight of responsibility that comes with being a cop. He never lets the darkness around him define how he carries himself. That quiet resilience, that ability to hold on to humour and warmth even when things are tough — that’s what I’ve learnt. And I ask myself sometimes: if Eken, with all the mess he deals with, can keep smiling… why can’t I? Maybe that’s the real takeaway— not the fame, not the recognition, but that reminder to live a little lighter.”
