Monjulla Pennalle by Kannur Shareef, Rahna

Monjulla Pennalle is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Credit goes to Sulaiman Tanur for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

Kannur Shareef, Rahna inhabits this song completely, making every phrase feel like it was written specifically for this voice. For fans of a talented ensemble cast, Monjulla Pennalle is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

2020 marked the release of Monjulla Pennalle, and Monjulla Pennalle was the track that ensured the album would be remembered. Some music is background. Monjulla Pennalle demands attention — not aggressively, but in the way a good conversation does.

The 6:40 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. Songs like Monjulla Pennalle are the reason people fall in love with Malayalam music and never quite fall out of it.