Ayyo Chetta by Vian Fernandes

Ayyo Chetta works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. Credit goes to Vian Fernandes for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Vian Fernandes inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. a talented ensemble cast are at the heart of Ayyo Chetta, and Ayyo Chetta captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

The song dates from 2020, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. The emotional register of Ayyo Chetta is wide enough to fit celebration and solitude equally well.

In 2:45 minutes, Ayyo Chetta builds, opens up, and resolves in a way that feels complete rather than truncated. Songs like Ayyo Chetta are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.