Thangum Thanalum by K.S.Rahna, Suresh Babu

Thangum Thanalum is the kind of song that earns its place in a playlist and then refuses to leave. Muhasin Kurikkal has a history of strong work, and the music on Thangum Thanalum is among the most memorable of it.

K.S.Rahna, Suresh Babu brings a warmth to Thangum Thanalum that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Thangum Thanalum finds its musical expression here — Thangum Thanalum is where the film's heart beats loudest.

The song dates from 2020, but nothing about it sounds dated — the emotions it captures are not tied to a moment. The emotional register of Thangum Thanalum is wide enough to fit celebration and solitude equally well.

The 2:17 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. It is, simply, one of the better songs to come from Malayalam in recent memory — and the numbers agree.