Dhuniyavin by Kannur Shareef, Ranjin Raj

Kannur Shareef, Ranjin Raj has delivered memorable performances before, but Dhuniyavin sits comfortably among the very best. What makes Dhuniyavin musically distinctive is the composition by Ranjin Raj, which balances simplicity with depth.

Kannur Shareef, Ranjin Raj inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. The song is tied to a talented ensemble cast, whose presence gives Dhuniyavin a visual dimension that fans of the film will always associate with it.

Released in 2020, it arrived at a time when Malayalam music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. There is a quality to Dhuniyavin that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

The 4:07 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. Songs like Dhuniyavin are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.