Aarodum Mindathe by Ashraf Perumukha

When Ashraf Perumukha recorded Aarodum Mindathe, something special happened in the studio — and listeners have felt it ever since. T K Abu sets the tone from the very first bar — it is clear from the opening notes that this song means business.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Aarodum Mindathe, Ashraf Perumukha clearly belongs in the second group. On screen, a talented ensemble cast bring the emotional world of the song to life in a way that enhances rather than competes with the music.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Aarodum Mindathe was among the reasons why. There is no right time to listen to Aarodum Mindathe. There is only the moment you press play and realise it was the right choice.

The 4:42 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.