En Manathin by Shafi Kollam

En Manathin works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. Shafi Kollam, Nizar Vadakara's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

Shafi Kollam brings a warmth to En Manathin that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Featuring a talented ensemble cast, the song carries the weight of the film's emotional arc and delivers it with conviction.

2020 marked the release of En Manathin, and En Manathin was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. It is the kind of track that works at full volume with friends and equally well in a quiet room alone — the mood adjusts without the song changing.

The concision of En Manathin — just 5:02 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. The track stands as evidence that Shafi Kollam and Shafi Kollam, Nizar Vadakara, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.