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From classroom to cinema: Biana Watre Momin's unexpected journey
A retired English literature professor from Meghalaya has become an overnight sensation after starring in Eko, a Malayalam-language film streaming on Netflix. At 70, Biana Watre Momin left her quiet life in the Garo Hills to play the lead role in a critically praised eco-mystery, defying expectations of age and experience.
An unlikely discovery
Momin, a member of the Garo tribe-one of Meghalaya's indigenous communities-had never considered acting. Growing up in a town without cinemas or theaters, she spent decades teaching Romantic poetry at Tura Government College. Her life revolved around family, her four dogs, and grandchildren until her daughter encouraged her to audition for Eko.
"I was hesitant," Momin told the BBC. "I had no acting experience and worried about traveling so far from home. But my daughter said, 'Have faith in yourself and try something new.'"
The role that changed everything
In Eko, a title playing on the word "echo," Momin portrays Mlathi Chettathi, an enigmatic elder living alone in the Western Ghats. The film follows her character-a Malay woman who fled Malaysia during World War II-as she navigates isolation, betrayal, and resilience in a crumbling mountain home surrounded by feral dogs and mist.
Director Dinjith Ayyathan sought a non-professional actor with a face that could believably pass as Malay. The team scoured northeastern India, even reaching out to the military, before stumbling upon Momin through a short film about Garo folklore. "It's an unusual coincidence that a project about animals led me to another role set among animals," she said.
Auditioning with spontaneity
During her audition in Kerala, Momin was given an improvised scenario: reporting a missing son to police. Writer and cinematographer Bahul Ramesh recalled her performance as "spontaneous, emotionally restrained, and quietly confident." Her willingness to embrace the unknown at 70 impressed the team.
"Her courage to move far from home and attempt something entirely new at this age won us over."
Bahul Ramesh, writer and cinematographer of Eko
Filming challenges and triumphs
Momin learned her Malayalam lines phonetically with a coach, though her dialogue was later dubbed. The 45-day shoot in the Western Ghats involved daily mountain treks, unpredictable weather, and veteran co-stars. "I didn't fall sick despite the conditions," she said. "I even tried Kerala's cuisine-it was an adventure."
Crew members praised her intuitive grasp of emotion and movement. Momin attributed her performance to life experience and her matrilineal Garo heritage. "I come from a tribe similar to Kerala's, and my feminism shaped how I approached the role," she explained.
"This is a self-reliant character who outwits exploiters with silent grit. Momin slipped into this feminist folklore with quiet understanding."
Bahul Ramesh
Critical acclaim and future projects
Eko has earned widespread praise, with Tamil actor Dhanush calling Momin's performance "world-class." Filmmakers from Bollywood and beyond have since approached her with scripts. "Acting is strenuous," she said cautiously. "Let's see what surprises lie ahead."
For now, Momin has returned to her routine in Meghalaya, tending to her book club and family. "We're discussing Arundhati Roy's Mother Mary Comes to Me this week," she said cheerfully.
A lesson in cinema's possibilities
Momin's story underscores how film can uncover truth in unexpected places. Quoting Dylan Thomas, she reflected, "Old age should burn and rage at close of day." For her, it did-just not in the way anyone expected.
