Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana by Naren Pulappatta

Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana works because it does not try to do too much — it finds one feeling and holds it perfectly. The music, composed by Naren Pulappatta, carries the song forward with a confidence that matches the performance.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana, Naren Pulappatta clearly belongs in the second group. Hearing Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana.

The 2020 release gave fans something to hold onto — a track built for repeated listening rather than a single play. Listeners have described the experience of Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana differently — romantic, melancholic, uplifting — which suggests the song is large enough to hold many truths.

Running to 3:58, 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 Vazhiyarikil Kaathu Nikkana is not a mystery. It is just what happens when every element of a song is exactly right.