Social media feeds shift in ways no algorithm can predict. One moment, timelines are flooded with Gemini’s ‘Nano Banana’ edits. The next, a random Husky is shaking up timelines with its moves to Ichu Ichu from the 2011 Tamil film Vedi.
And now, another video has grabbed that spotlight: Mumbai-based Malayali dancer Noel Alexander’s choreography of Masala Coffee band’s Kaantha track.
For years, Kaantha has been the unofficial soundtrack of Onam gatherings, family functions, parties, and get-togethers where a quiet current of nostalgia threads through the room. Some term it one of the ‘OG party songs’ of Malayalis.
With this new reel trend exploding online, that familiar Pooram vibe is travelling far beyond Kerala, pulling in viewers from across India and outside the country too.
Here, TNIE returns to the song — tracing its starting point, its rise in the present moment, the linguistic choices that set its tone, the cultural aspects, the arguments that still surface around it, and Noel’s take on the choreography.
Origin and popularity
Kaantha Njanum Varam is a song centred on the festival of Thrissur Pooram. It gained wider popularity across Kerala after the band Masala Coffee gave it a contemporary voice a few years ago.
Earlier, in 2004, the song appeared in the film Mambazhakkalam, sung by M G Sreekumar with music by M Jayachandran. But its origins, which predate that, remain unclear.
“I have searched for its origin a lot, but unfortunately we don’t have any details about who first sang it, who wrote it, or how it all began,” says Suraja E M, assistant professor, Department of Malayalam, NSS College, Ottapalam.
“The song might have been passed down through generations. But it is not an ancient song… more of a modern folk song. It gained wider attention as Thrissur Pooram became a global event of sorts.”
Kerala Folklore Academy chairman O S Unnikrishnan agrees. “The language used in the song is comparatively new, so it’s unlikely to be very old. But its origin remains unknown,” he says.
“One thing is clear: the song does not belong to traditional folk forms. But because its origins are untraceable, people tend to label it as ‘folk’.”
Singer, composer, actor Indulekha Warrier, daughter of actor, comedian and Ottamthullal performer Jayaraj Warrier, adds another layer. “I have heard my father say that the first time he heard this song was when actor Jagathy Sreekumar sang it,” she says.
“As a musician, I can say there is no other song this popular in stage shows in Kerala. At the end of almost every programme, people ask for Kaantha. I don’t know whether it’s the thrill of Thrissur Pooram, the music, or the vibe, but the crowd’s response is always massive. Even in the song Poorangade pooramulloru naadu nammude naadu, the Kaantha njanum varam portion is the most prominent. There are many versions and remixes, and people seem to embrace all of them.”
Cultural aspects
Abhijith C, research scholar at the department of linguistics, Central University of Kerala, notes that Kaantha njanum varaam can be viewed as an oral archive of Kerala’s social transition.
“This song captures the longing of a woman who wishes to visit and experience Thrissur Pooram,” he says.
“She shares her unfulfilled dream with her beloved, filled with hope and excitement. On the surface, it may seem like a light-hearted expression of her desire to attend the festival. But beneath that, it reflects the social exclusion and gender marginalisation of the time.”
Abhijith adds that the song is written in simple Malayalam — a hallmark of folk compositions created by and for ordinary people. “The original singer is presumed to be a woman, and ‘Kaanthan’ refers to her beloved man. However, the song has traditionally been sung more by men,” he smiles.
“The song’s vibrant tone helped both the film version and contemporary renditions gain wide acceptance. Most people sing it for its rhythm and energy, often unmindful of the social context.”
Meanwhile, some believe the song has sexual innuendos. “I have always sensed a hint of suggestiveness in it,” says Suraja. “We tend to call it innocent, but it does not entirely feel that way. I can’t say this with certainty… the writer may not have intended it. But I do feel that a layer of double-meanings is present.”
Well, this is a matter of debate. One that’s been on for decades. But it has, in no way, marred the charm of the Kaantha song that continues to make Malayalis — and now people across India — snap their fingers, clap and sway away in celebration of the old-world kind.
‘It is all about feeling festive’
For dancer-choreographer Noel Alexander, Kaantha was not a planned choice. He had been looking for a Malayalam track to work with for a while, and Malare from Premam was the one he kept coming back to — mostly because, as he jokes, it’s the only Malayalam song he can sing without fumbling.
Then a friend played ‘Kaantha, and the search ended right there. “I was blown away,” he says. “Immediately I could see everything that reminded me of Kerala — the houseboats, the coconut trees, etc. And since I have been to Thrissur Pooram, I know how grand and emotional it is. I wanted people outside Kerala to feel a fraction of that scale.”
Noel was born in Kottayam, raised in Gujarat, and later moved to Mumbai when he finally chose to pursue dance full-time. Though he trained seriously from a young age, the pressure to choose a ‘safer’ career was always there.
A stint on Dance Plus reality show felt like the beginning of something, but the pandemic slowed everything down. He kept teaching, creating and posting work, and one of his routines eventually went viral, the moment he describes as his real breakthrough. “I have been working with blinkers on for years,” he says. “All I want is for the effort to count for something.”
And Kaantha, in many ways, became exactly that. Cover versions began appearing not just from Indian cities but from across continents. “Spain, Kenya, China… places I never imagined would vibe with a Malayalam song,” gushes Noel, adding that he has used elements of Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kaikottikali in the choreography.
“Seeing people everywhere dance to it is overwhelming. It’s pushed me to dream bigger.”
Noel explains the way he approached the choreography not as a technical routine but as something that should feel like a celebration. “Whenever I create a piece, I try to pass on the intention behind why I picked that song,” he says.
“With ‘Kaantha’, I wanted everyone to catch a little bit of the Pooram spirit, not get stressed about perfection. The music, the steps, the energy — it is all about feeling festive. Maybe that is why people connected to it so quickly.”
With Kaantha & Co. continuing to travel across the globe, Noel has already announced workshops to teach the routine. First, a south India tour is under way, with sessions lined up in Bengaluru, Kochi, Thrissur, Hyderabad and Chennai.