Mizhinanavorunal by Najim Arshad, Zia Ul Haq

Mizhinanavorunal is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Rubinadh's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

The voice of Najim Arshad, Zia Ul Haq carries Mizhinanavorunal effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. For fans of Manzur Muhammed, Shivaji Guruvayoor, Vinod Kedamangalam, Sadik V.T., Nowmya Mallayya, Mizhinanavorunal is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Mizhinanavorunal was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Mizhinanavorunal differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The concision of Mizhinanavorunal — just 5:07 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Years from now, Mizhinanavorunal will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.