Oru jeevthame by Shanib Kamal

There is an honesty to Oru jeevthame that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. The music, composed by Shanib Kamal, Jamsheer Kozhikkara, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

The performance by Shanib Kamal is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. a talented ensemble cast are at the heart of Oru jeevthame, and Oru jeevthame captures their dynamic at its most compelling.

Released in 2020, it arrived at a time when Malayalam music needed exactly this kind of sincerity. There is a quality to Oru jeevthame that makes it feel like company — the kind of song you put on when words feel insufficient.

Running to 4:07, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. For anyone yet to hear Oru jeevthame, the experience ahead is a good one. For those returning, it will be as good as they remember.