Sushin Shyam and new sounds in Malayalam cinema

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Cherathukal from the film Kumbalangi Nights (2019), I was transported to a boat in the island town of Kerala. As the paddle hit the stream, the water broke into small waves and the song rose from the elements. Kumbalangi Nights put Sushin Shyam on the map, making him one of Malayalam cinema’s most sought-after composers.

His songs draw listeners into the scene, and they linger there long after the actors themselves have moved on. If Cherathukal conjured up images of Kerala’s backwaters, Pakaliravukal from the film Kurup (2021) has the excitement of a first date, a shy meeting of the eyes, and accidental touching of hands. In Thalatherichavar from Romancham (2023), a group of broke friends who live together clean their house, buy groceries, kill mice, and play volleyball in their backyard.

The listener is immersed in the action, as the song coolly transitions into a rap. “When I think of sound, I think of water," Sushin, 32, says, “It’s very calming." We meet in his Kochi studio. The room is lit in a warm yellow, a piano is placed to one side of the room, Turkish string instruments (tar, saz and kamancheh) are displayed in a corner, and his recording console flashes a colourful screensaver.

Bearded, and with tiny nose and ear piercings, Sushin sits on a couch with his legs folded under him. He has come a long way from his first hit song, Nee, from the 2018 film Varathan. The temperature inside the studio is cool.

Much like the chill of the Kodaikanal hills in the song Nebulakal from the 2024 hit survival drama Manjummel Boys. The song set to Pradeep Kumar’s soulful vocals made me shiver. (Sushin also did the background music for the film, a synth-based score that meanders through the film’s tones of despair and courage.)