Ilakalai Pookkalai by Vijay Yesudas, Shakthisree Gopalan

Ilakalai Pookkalai works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. The production by Elvyn Joshua is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

Vijay Yesudas, Shakthisree Gopalan's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. The connection between Mammootty, Mia and this song is part of what makes it resonate beyond the film itself.

By the end of 2020, Ilakalai Pookkalai had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. 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 Ilakalai Pookkalai — just 4:03 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. For anyone yet to hear Ilakalai Pookkalai, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.