Kanakkuyilin (Male) by G. Venugopal

Kanakkuyilin (Male) works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. Ouseppachan's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

G. Venugopal inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. Mohanlal, Vimala Raman gave the film its soul, and Kanakkuyilin (Male) is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

2020 marked the release of Kanakkuyilin (Male), and Kanakkuyilin (Male) 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.

Running to 5:38, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The track stands as evidence that G. Venugopal and Ouseppachan, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.