Thee Manalil by Avin Mohan Sithara, Sooraj Santhosh

There is an honesty to Thee Manalil that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. Behind the melody is the work of Avin Mohan Sithara, whose composition choices give Thee Manalil its distinctive texture.

Avin Mohan Sithara, Sooraj Santhosh brings a warmth to Thee Manalil that no production choice could manufacture — it has to be felt, and here it is. Hearing Thee Manalil without thinking of Sarjano Khalid, Anagha Narayanan is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Raastha.

2023 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Thee Manalil was among the reasons why. Listeners have described the experience of Thee Manalil differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

The concision of Thee Manalil — just 5:29 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Years from now, Thee Manalil will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.