Mandakini Theme by Murali Krishnan

There is an honesty to Mandakini Theme that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. Wazim-Murali's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

Murali Krishnan understood what this song required and delivered it without excess — the restraint itself becomes the emotion. Siju Wilson, Krishna Sankar, Shabareesh Varma, Sethalakshmi Amma, Irene Mihalkovich gave the film its soul, and Mandakini Theme is the song that most directly channels that feeling into music.

By the end of 2020, Mandakini Theme had moved well beyond its original audience and into everyday playlists. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

At 1:03, the track does not overstay its welcome — it says what it needs to say and leaves the listener wanting more. Songs like Mandakini Theme are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.