It started as a discussion between two friends and is now a viral hit. Nikhil TT and Nikhil Chandran, from the SH School of Communication in Kochi, during one of their casual conversations in 2017, talked about their musical inclinations and brainstormed a song they wished to film as part of the latter’s college project. Soon, juniors and a few friends chipped in, and the musical play Kadum Kaapi was born. The song, which was launched on December 7, 2017, has now gone viral and garnered 10 million views.Kadum Kaapi deals with a college romance and is the story about how the protagonist falls head over heels in love with one of his classmates, in what seems like a difficult romance. It looks at how the innate goodness of a person is all that matters, when it comes to love, regardless of one’s appearance or looks.Director, lyricist, music composer and singer of Kadum Kaapi, Nikhil Chandran from the department of Digital Animation has now passed out from the college. But the success of the video has thrilled him. An overjoyed Nikhil says, “It feels great when your work gets so much attention. Most of the things or aspects in the song are part and parcel of college life, and students like us can relate to them.”He adds that the song features old his college friends Arun Narayanan, who plays the main character, and Nithin Ephrim, Alwin Augustine and Harikrishnan KS as his friends. “The highlight is that all the work was done by students. We have Abraham J Thayyil on guitar, Anamay Prakash, who has played the keyboard. Aju Ramesh is the editor, and the lighting in charge is Vivek Krisha Kumar, while the title is by Sandra Saji.”The fact that it is the theme of love that blossoms while in college, the innocence with which the subject is dealt with and the sensitivity of the lyrics have struck a chord with netizens, he says.Nikhil TT, who also passed out from the department of Cinema and Television, says, “We had no idea that the song would be so widely received. Throughout the making, all we wanted was to keep it simple and real. We shot the video on the top floor of the lodge we were staying in at Thevara.”Third-year student Harikrishnan KS, from the department of Communication, says four of the team members have even got film offers. “Arun Narayanan has grabbed an opportunity to act in a film titled Picasso. The popularity of the song has been such that we are now being invited to programmes at other college unions.”After Kadum Kaapi, Nikhil and team have made a short film named Neela Poo which is already out, and another one titled Kunni will be released this month. Nikhil says that they are surprised when they are treated like celebrities at public events and when people take selfies with them. “It gives great joy when people sing our song. We are quite surprised by the overwhelming response.”

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