Allahoo Akbar by Nisam Calicut

Few songs from 2020 have held their ground as well as Allahoo Akbar, a track that keeps finding new audiences. The music, composed by Muhamad Mayyanad, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

Nisam Calicut brings a warmth to Allahoo Akbar that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. The connection between a talented ensemble cast and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

The 2020 release gave fans something to hold onto — a track built for repeated listening rather than a single play. It fits the playlist for almost any occasion, which is rare — most songs have a narrow emotional window. This one does not.

The 6:07 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.