It was an evening coloured with warmth, wit, and quiet pride as the team behind The Eken: Benaras e Bibhishika came together for an intimate success party at Olterra, Park Street. The gathering, held on a balmy weekday evening, brought together cast, crew, and close friends of the film for a celebration that was low on pomp but high on joy — much like the beloved sleuth himself.

At the heart of the gathering was Anirban Chakrabarti — the face of Eken Babu — his signature smile stretched from ear to ear as he greeted familiar faces and clinked glasses in quiet gratitude. Flanked by director Joydeep Mukherjee and co-actors Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, Somak Ghosh, Saswata Chatterjee, Gaurav Chakrabarty, and Sagnik Chatterjee, the cast shared stories, laughter, and the occasional inside joke that only a well-worn creative team can afford.

Dressed in a grey chequered vest, Anirban spoke with his usual wit and warmth, visibly moved by the film’s reception. “I never imagined this kind of success when we first started Eken Babu back in 2018. It’s been an overwhelming journey — this is our 11th instalment and the third film, and we still feel like we’re just getting started. I sincerely hope this franchise stays alive and keeps giving audiences more content to enjoy. Some dialogues from the Benaras chapter have unexpectedly stuck with people — like the one where I compare a co-actor’s clothes to ‘pashbalish-er moton jama kapor’! I was quite apprehensive about the scene where I rise out of the Ganges with a trishul in hand — it felt so unlike Eken Babu — but to my surprise, it became one of the most loved moments of the film.”

Kaushik, Churni and Ujaan Ganguly

Saswata Chatterjee told t2, “Eken has a separate fanbase and I have enjoyed the works since the inception. Anirban is an excellent actor and I don’t know a lot of people who would be capable of making the audience love a sleuth who is not stereotypically tall, dark or handsome. Anirban does a fantastic job. I did not have a massive role in this film; I love Eken Babu and I know that this detective has all things Bengali and is here to stay.”

Suhotra Mukhopadhyay, who has been a longstanding member of team Eken Babu (as Bapi), shared his happiness. “So many shows were housefull and the audience has been so excited for this film, it is unreal. I started watching Eken after being a part of the team and I thoroughly enjoy working and watching these works. I find the Eken series very organic and the feedback is amazing. Every time the franchise hits different, even though the three of us remain the same. While shooting in Benaras, the one memory that will always stay with me is that after pack-up, we used to travel via boat and after a hectic schedule, that felt so beautiful in the middle of the Ganges.”

Gaurav Chakrabarty, who attended the evening with his wife Ridhima, shared, “I’ve been a fan of the Eken series for a long time — the flair, the storytelling, the authenticity, all of it. This was my first time being part of an Eken film, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My character had to be played with a certain balance — not giving too much away, but not too little either. Ridhima loved it too!”

Also in attendance were some of the industry’s most cherished names — director Srijit Mukherji, Kaushik Ganguly and Churni Ganguly, actress Susmita Chatterjee, and other close associates — all united by a common thread: their affection for Eken Babu and the easy charm with which he has come to occupy a firm place in Bengali pop culture.

The party was nestled in a private section of Olterra, with soft ambient lighting and mellow dance tracks — from retro Bollywood hits to newer chartbusters — playing just loud enough to prompt a shuffle or two. While one half of the venue turned into a relaxed dance floor, the main lounge was immersed in conversation, with tinkling glasses, trays of appetisers in constant circulation, and clusters of guests catching up over shared memories and mutual admiration.

Ridhima Ghosh and Gaurav Chakrabarty, Saswata Chatterjee and Sagnik

The gathering bore none of the frenzied air of a typical showbiz party. Instead, there was an atmosphere of contentment and quiet celebration — as if everyone present knew they had been part of something both culturally fun and commercially successful. Plates clinked, selfies were snapped, and laughter echoed off the walls in pockets of familiarity.

As the night wore on, someone raised a toast — not just to the film’s success, but to the singular character of Eken Babu: a detective with no flair for the dramatic, but every knack for solving crime and charming hearts.

And perhaps that’s the real win — that a bumbling, brilliant sleuth in a Panama hat could bring together a room full of talent, across generations and genres, in shared delight.