Padoo Padoo by Manu Mahesh

Released as part of Padoo Padoo, Padoo Padoo announced itself as a standout the moment it reached listeners. The music, composed by Firoz Maranchery, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

The performance by Manu Mahesh is the centrepiece here — controlled where it needs to be, open where it counts. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Padoo Padoo finds its musical expression here — Padoo Padoo is where the film's heart beats loudest.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Padoo Padoo was among the reasons why. It is the kind of track that works at full volume with friends and equally well in a quiet room alone — the mood adjusts without the song changing.

Running to 6:00, the song is exactly as long as it needs to be, which is the hardest length for a songwriter to find. The staying power of Padoo Padoo is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.