Thiruppiravi by Fr Aji Puthenpurackal, Goutham Vincent, Bobby Xavier, Anu Thomas, Rajesh Cherthala

There is an honesty to Thiruppiravi that separates it from most Malayalam songs released around the same time. The production by Fr Aji Puthenpurackal, Goutham Vincent, Bobby Xavier, Anu Thomas, Rajesh Cherthala is understated in the best way — supportive without overshadowing the vocal.

Fr Aji Puthenpurackal, Goutham Vincent, Bobby Xavier, Anu Thomas, Rajesh Cherthala's vocal here has a quality that is difficult to describe but impossible to miss — it simply feels true. The story told by a talented ensemble cast in Thiruppiravi finds its musical expression here — Thiruppiravi is where the film's heart beats loudest.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Thiruppiravi was among the reasons why. Whether it plays on a long drive, during a quiet evening at home, or through earphones on a crowded commute, the song meets the listener where they are.

The concision of Thiruppiravi — just 4:27 — is part of what makes it work. There is nothing here that should not be. Years from now, Thiruppiravi will still be the track that plays at the right moment and lands exactly as it did the first time.