Aarandum Koorikootti by Mammootty, Bashir

Mammootty, Bashir has delivered memorable performances before, but Aarandum Koorikootti sits comfortably among the very best. What makes Aarandum Koorikootti musically distinctive is the composition by Issac Thomas Kottukappally, which balances simplicity with depth.

The voice of Mammootty, Bashir carries Aarandum Koorikootti effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. The connection between Mammootty, Padmapriya and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Aarandum Koorikootti was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Aarandum Koorikootti differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The 2:03 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. It is, at the end of it, a very good song — and sometimes that is the only explanation that matters.