Cheekithirukiya by Jayasree Subrahmanian, Polson Thannikkal

Released as part of Cheekithirukiya, Cheekithirukiya announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. Credit goes to Paulson Thannikkal for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Cheekithirukiya, Jayasree Subrahmanian, Polson Thannikkal clearly belongs in the second group. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Cheekithirukiya finds its musical expression here — Cheekithirukiya is where the film's heart beats loudest.

When it came out in 2020, Cheekithirukiya felt timely. Years later, it feels timeless. Whether it plays on a long drive, during a quiet evening at home, or through earphones on a crowded commute, the song meets the listener where they are.

Running to 7:08, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. It is, at the end of it, a very good song — and sometimes that is the only explanation that matters.