‘Eko’ Ending Explained: Where Is Kuriachan? Decoding the Mystery, Layers and Symbolism of Sandeep Pradeep’s Brilliant Thriller (SPOILER ALERT)

The big question on everyone’s mind is whether Eko - the second collaboration between director Dinjith Ayyathan and cinematographer–screenwriter Bahul Ramesh - matches the brilliance of their first outing, Kishkindha Kaandam. At first glance, the answer seems simple - their first film feels the bigger winner. Kishkindha Kaandam hit like a bolt of lightning when it arrived in 2024, packed with emotional intensity and a finale that shattered everyone with its revelations. ‘KishKindha Kaandam’ Movie Review: Asif Ali and Vijayaraghavan’s Brilliant Performances and a Layered Mystery Make for a Spectacular Combo!

With Eko, we were far more prepared. As the layers begin to peel away around the mysterious disappearance of Kuriachan - and the secrets held by those seeking him - we’re already on guard, much like the dogs of Kaattukunnu forest. But the film’s biggest triumph is that while we may predict a few twists, Eko ensures we don’t see all of them coming, even if it shares a faint thematic echo with the twist in Kishkindha Kaandam.

Regardless, take a bow, Mr Ayyathan, for delivering yet another terrific film. And take an even bigger bow, Mr Ramesh, for completing your 'animal' trilogy - Kishkindha Kaandam, Kerala Crime Files Season 2, and now Eko - with such flair. It’s rare to be this excited about what a screenwriter is going to do next.

While the finale of Eko does not exactly hide away the answers, there might be some among us looking for those hidden layers. So in this feature, I will try to decode some of them to the best of my abilities, while also taking a little help from some of the Reddit theories that I felt were more convincing in my reprisal of the film.

So yeah, there are MAJOR SPOILERS ahead...

But before that, let's get into...

The Plot of 'Eko'

Set possibly in the 1960s, Eko revolves around the disappearance of Kuriachan, a dog breeder and trainer with deep ties to the police, army, and naxals. Missing for years, some say he’s dead, others believe he’s hiding somewhere in Kaattukunnu, using his uncanny connection with his dogs to stay out of sight.

His Malayan wife, Mlaathi Chettathi/Soyi (Biana Momin), continues to live in their isolated hill home with a caretaker boy, Peeyoos (Sandeep Pradeep), and, of course, the dogs. Several men are still searching for Kuriachan: his former comrade Mohan Pothan (Vineeth), a naval officer (Narain), and two truckers (Binu Pappu, Ranjith Shekhar).

Watch the Trailer of 'Eko':

Is Kuriachan a dangerous man who wronged many, or a kind husband who rescued Soyi from her past? The truth, alongside the mystery of his whereabouts, forms the heart of the story.

A Tale of Loyalty and Revenge

Animals have been a thematic catalyst in all of Bahul Ramesh’s scripts. A monkey triggers a catastrophe in Kishkindha Kaandam. A dog's death sparks a violent saga of revenge in Kerala Crime Files 2. In Eko, the dogs aren’t the reason for revenge - they are the weapons of it.

What happens to Kuriachan (played by Animal actor Saurabh Sachdeva) is the long-delayed consequence of something he set in motion years ago, never realising - or perhaps never caring - how the game truly worked. We constantly hear characters like Appootty (Ashokan) and Pappachan (Saheer Muhammed) praise his supposed mastery over dogs and how he could bring them under his control instantly. But what’s missing in their praise is the word 'love'. Kuriachan doesn’t love these animals; he enjoys controlling them, even using them for violent acts and torture. His most loyal 'dog' isn’t a dog at all - it’s Manikandan, the orphaned boy he raised, who continues to chase down Kuriachan’s enemies years later in blind devotion to his master. ‘Kerala Crime Files’ Season 2 Review: A Gripping Upgrade With Sharp Writing, Tighter Mystery and Solid Performances.

Even the momentary regret he shows after shooting Yosiah’s dogs feels less like remorse and more like disappointment at having killed rare-breed canines - or a performative attempt to show Soyi that it was done for her 'protection'.

Unlike Kuriachan, Mlaathi/Soyi cared for the animals out of genuine affection and kindness. In an early conversation with Peeyoos, she shuts down his suggestion to give away one of the newborn puppies because she doesn’t want them 'caged like a criminal'. The dogs reciprocate her love - and that should have been the first hint about who truly commands the pack in Kaattukunnu. When Soyi’s former husband used his dogs to restrict her in the name of protection, she learned to reverse the dynamic: to use the dogs to reclaim her agency - by placing a metaphorical leash on the man who tried to own her.

The 'Ramayana' Connection

As we watch Eko, we encounter two contrasting versions of Kuriachan: the negative image described by those hunting him, and the gentler, more caring version that emerges through Mlaathi Chettathi’s backstory. By the end, however, that 'caring' image is exposed as a façade. We discover that Kuriachan - who has two other families, and whose own children barely care for him - is indeed the demon others believe him to be, someone who treats both people and animals as trophies. Soyi, too, was nothing more than another trophy in his collection.

This brings us back to Soyi’s backstory, which echoes the Ramayana in uncanny ways. Much like Raavan abducting Sita in the guise of a sage, Kuriachan enters Soyi’s life through manipulation and false protection. The Laxman Rekha in this case is formed by Yoshian’s dogs, who were meant to 'protect' her - not just from stepping outside the house, but also from predators like Kuriachan and Mohan Pothan. This is even recalled by Mohan when he visits Mlaathi Chettathi and tells her how dogs recognise evil when they see it - why they never allowed Kuriachan near Soyi’s house, even though they had seen him before with their master.

Who Is Peeyoos?

We soon learn that the Peeyoos we meet in the film is not who he claims to be. He is Manikandan, Kuriachan’s fiercely loyal aide who has killed for him and has now arrived in Kaattukunnu to discover his master’s hidden whereabouts. He attempts (unsuccessfully) to kill the naval officer by tampering with his brake cable and later eliminates the policemen disguised as truckers, who want to close in on Kuriachan. But he has no idea where his master actually is, and his reason for staying with Mlaathi Chettathi is to find out whether she knows. By the time he uncovers the truth, it’s too late for him to act on it.

Manikandan's identity as Kuriachan’s 'hunting dog' is reflected not only in his blind loyalty and violent acts but also in his physicality. During his fight with SI Sukumaran, he literally bites him, just like a dog would. Ironically, Manikandan once told Mlaathi Chettathi that when he first arrived at her house, her barking dogs forced him to climb a tree - exactly what happens when an outsider dog trespasses into another pack’s territory. ‘Kerala Crime Files’ Season 2 Ending Explained: From Killer Reveal to Puzzling Last Scene, Decoding Finale of Arjun Radhakrishnan and Aju Varghese’s Murder-Mystery Series.

What Happened to Kuriachan?

After Mohan Pothan reveals the truth to Mlaathi Chettathi, Kuriachan neither disputes nor defends himself when he arrives at their home before disappearing. Whether he failed to realise the extent of her betrayal or simply underestimated the quiet fury of a wronged woman, that moment is when he effectively signed his punishment warrant. Not a death warrant - because for Mlaathi Chettathi, death would be too easy an escape for Kuriachan.

Kuriachan had originally planned to stay in his secret hideout - known only to him and Mlaathi Chettathi - for a few days. What he didn’t anticipate was that she had already trained the dogs around her house in the same manner her former husband had trained their ancestors in the name of 'protection.' Once Kuriachan entered his hiding place - which is believed to be a cave in one of the hills - the dogs loyal to Mlaathi Chettathi ensured he could never leave. Much like Yoshian’s dogs kept Soyi confined to the house in case she was unfaithful, these dogs became the invisible boundary Kuriachan could not cross.

He could not starve himself to death either. We’ve seen earlier in the film that these dogs are trained to carry food, and Mlaathi Chettathi makes sure they bring him just enough to stay alive. The shot of her peering through binoculars at a distant point hints clearly that he is still alive in that hideout - alive, but utterly trapped.

As for why he couldn't kill the dogs and escape, as he once did with Yoshian’s pack, there is no certainty that he had a weapon with him when he fled to the hideout. And why doesn’t he take his own life? The backstory already tells us he is stubborn to the point of self-destruction - a man who once staked himself out on a boat for days to win over his 'prey.' That same obstinate streak keeps him alive now, clinging to the hope of an escape route.

There is an interesting parallel between Kuriachan’s fate and that of Appu Pillai’s grandson in Kishkindha Kaandam. In both films, by the end, only one elderly character knows where the person everyone is searching for is being hidden. The difference lies in motive: Appu Pillai hides his grandson's corpse out of protecting his family, whereas Mlaathi Chettathi traps Kuriachan in his hiding place out of pure, calculated vengeance. ‘Kishkindha Kaandam’ Ending Explained: Exploring the Heartbreaking Climax of Asif Ali, Vijayaraghavan and Aparna Balamurali’s Malayalam Movie.

Interestingly, her command over the dogs was hinted at much earlier. When Appootty is asked whether she practises Malayan black magic, it is clear this is just the villagers’ xenophobia speaking. Appootty dismisses the rumour but admits the dogs behave strangely around her house. Even he doesn’t realise then that it is Mlaathi Chettathi - not Kuriachan - who has been controlling them all along.

Who Killed Mohan Pothan?

After being arrested in Kothamangalam in a trap set by Kuriachan, Mohan Pothan returns to the Kaattukunnu forest seeking revenge. He uses a female dog in heat to lure out Kuriachan’s dogs - and, by extension, Kuriachan himself. But instead, he is pushed off a cliff by two of the dogs.

At first, it seems as though Kuriachan had sent them. Eventually, however, the truth surfaces: it is Mlaathi Chettathi who commands the dogs. She is the one who has Mohan Pothan killed - for his role in getting her husband arrested and for attempting to 'share' her with Kuriachan all those years ago.

What Will Happen to Manikandan?

While sitting with Mlaathi Chettathi near the cliff - and realising she knew he was Kuriachan’s loyal aide - Manikandan also understands, at the same moment as the naval officer, that she knows exactly what happened to Kuriachan. He intends to kill her with the knife hidden in his bag, but before he can act, he finds himself surrounded by her dogs, ready to attack if he makes a move. So when Mlaathi Chettathi tells the naval officer that she is 'not alone' at home, she isn’t talking about 'Peeyoos'; she’s referring to her ever-watchful guardians.

As for why she doesn’t kill Manikandan the way she had Mohan Pothan eliminated, the reason is simple: she sees him as her husband’s 'dog', and she genuinely loves dogs. She has always shown him a soft corner - at times even more affection than her own children - yet she remained cautious enough never to eat or drink anything without first testing it on insects. Mohan Pothan, like Kuriachan, caused her immense suffering, and so her dogs killed him. Manikandan, meanwhile, hasn’t harmed her directly, and he won’t be able to in the future - because she remains protected by her loyal pack.

Unfortunately, Manikandan can't even kill her even if he could, since she is the only one who knows where Kuriachan is trapped, and Mlaathi Chettathi needs him if she needs access to the outside world, like getting medical facilities. She trusts her dogs more than to stay in the city with her own kids. It's a Catch-22 situation for both of them.

Why Is the Film Titled 'Eko'?

Eko can be interpreted in two ways. First, it may stem from 'ecology' - the interdependence between living beings and their environment. This fits the film’s world, where Mlaathi Chettathi, Kuriachan and Manikandan all interact with and manipulate their surroundings, especially the animals, as tools of protection or domination.

Secondly, it may refer to an 'echo'. The events that once took place between Kuriachan and Soyi in Malaysia return like an echo years later, reshaping their fates under different circumstances in the hills of Kerala.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 26, 2025 07:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).