Kadhayile Sundhari by Hisham Veeriambram

Kadhayile Sundhari arrived from the Kadhayile Sundhari album and quickly became one of the most replayed tracks of 2020. Shanoof Ulikkal's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Kadhayile Sundhari, Hisham Veeriambram clearly belongs in the second group. The chemistry of a talented ensemble cast is embedded in every moment of Kadhayile Sundhari, making it as much a performance as a song.

By the end of 2020, Kadhayile Sundhari had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. There is no right time to listen to Kadhayile Sundhari. There is only the moment you press play and realise it was the right choice.

Running to 4:29, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. Kadhayile Sundhari has earned its place in the catalogue of Malayalam music that genuinely matters. The listeners who found it early already knew.