Akapade by Asharaf Koduvally

Akapade is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Asharaf Koduvally's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Akapade a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Akapade was among the reasons why. There is a quality to Akapade that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

In 5:16 minutes, Akapade builds, opens up, and resolves in a way that feels complete rather than truncated. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.