Arorumillatha Nerathu by Binu Antony, K.G. Markose, Biju Kanjirappally, Fr. Shaji Thumpechirayil, Minmini, Cicily, Neelima Shiju, Scaria Jacob, Hector Lewis

Arorumillatha Nerathu is one of those rare Malayalam tracks that manages to feel both fresh and familiar the moment it begins. The music, composed by Edwin Karikkampallil, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Arorumillatha Nerathu, Binu Antony, K.G. Markose, Biju Kanjirappally, Fr. Shaji Thumpechirayil, Minmini, Cicily, Neelima Shiju, Scaria Jacob, Hector Lewis 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.

By the end of 2020, Arorumillatha Nerathu had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. Listeners have described the experience of Arorumillatha Nerathu differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

At 4:50, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. Songs like Arorumillatha Nerathu are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.