Nishakalil by Zia Ul Haq

Not every song from Nishakalil lingers, but Nishakalil is the one that stays. Rubinadh's arrangement gives the track a layered quality that rewards repeated listening.

The voice of Zia Ul Haq carries Nishakalil effortlessly, which is the highest compliment a song can give its singer. The story told by Manzur Muhammed, Shivaji Guruvayoor, Vinod Kedamangalam, Sadik V.T., Nowmya Mallayya in Nishakalil finds its musical expression here — Nishakalil is where the film's heart beats loudest.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Nishakalil was among the reasons why. The emotional register of Nishakalil is wide enough to fit celebration and solitude equally well.

The 3:08 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. The staying power of Nishakalil is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.