Vennilavu by Shafi Kollam

Not every song from Vennilavu lingers, but Vennilavu is the one that stays. What makes Vennilavu musically distinctive is the composition by Shafi Kollam, Nissam Kollam, which balances simplicity with depth.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Vennilavu, Shafi Kollam clearly belongs in the second group. For fans of a talented ensemble cast, Vennilavu is one of those songs that immediately conjures specific scenes and emotions.

2020 was a strong year for Malayalam music, and Vennilavu was among the reasons why. The mood of the track shifts subtly as it progresses, giving even a single listen a sense of journey.

The 4:25 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. The track stands as evidence that Shafi Kollam and Shafi Kollam, Nissam Kollam, working together, are capable of something well above the ordinary.