- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Neethi Devan Mayakkam
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Jun 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This playful duetting track from 'Neethi Devan Mayakkam' features a lighthearted debate between a couple on family planning and children. The husband enthusiastically advocates for having a large family—suggesting a dozen kids to form a football team or even a political voter base. In contrast, the wife pragmatically pushes back, reminding him of the physical burden of pregnancy and caring for infants, arguing that two children are more than enough. Through witty banter, sports analogies, and humorous hyperbole, the song explores the contrasting perspectives on family size and parental responsibility.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Aattukkutti pola neeyum peththu podu”
Compares having children effortlessly to a lamb giving birth, using the comparative suffix 'pola'.
Simile (Upamai)
“Santhai kadai pola enna pillai kutti”
Compares having too many children to a noisy, chaotic marketplace.
Initial Rhyme (Moonaai)
“Aattukkutti pola neeyum peththu podu / Aattaththukku vanthu nikkum neeyum paaru”
Repetition of the initial 'Aat-' sound across consecutive lines.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Football aattaththukku team-u venum”
Exaggerating family size to needing enough children to form a football team and win twelve trophies.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by legendary poet Kannadasan and set to tune by K. V. Mahadevan, this song uses comedy and catchphrases ('Aarirundu panirendu') to touch upon social awareness regarding family planning—a popular topic in Indian cinema during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Keep listening
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