Achcham Naanam
From Thedi Vantha Lakshmi · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Sanjay
- Details
- Thedi Vantha Lakshmi1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Haa acham naanam | Ah, fear and modesty |
| Nee pen endru sollamal sollum | Silently announce that you are a woman. |
| Micham meedham | The remaining subtle emotions |
| Un kannodu thullamal thullum | Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping. |
| Female | |
| Jillendra kaatrodu | Along with the cool breeze |
| Sellkindra poovaasam naan | I am the fragrance of flowers floating away, |
| Adhai nillendru solgindra | And the naughty eyes that command it to halt |
| Polladha kann undhan kannallavoo | Are non other than your eyes, isn't it? |
| Male | |
| Haa acham naanam | Ah, fear and modesty |
| Nee pen endru sollamal sollum | Silently announce that you are a woman. |
| Micham meedham | The remaining subtle emotions |
| Un kannodu thullamal thullum | Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping. |
| Female | |
| Kannanin avadharam | The incarnation of Lord Krishna |
| En kadhalan vadivagum | Takes the form of my lover. |
| Male :Kannukku alangaram | Male: The true adornment to the eyes |
| En kanmani uruvaagum | Is the form of my beloved apple of my eye. |
| Female | |
| Pennukku yedhu vendum | What does a woman need? |
| Unmai pesum thunai vendum | A truthful companion is what she needs. |
| Male :Nenjukku yedhu vendum | Male: What does the heart need? |
| Suga ninaivae vara vendum | Only sweet memories should constantly arrive. |
| Female | |
| Acham naanam | Fear and modesty |
| Naan pen endru sollamal sollum | Silently announce that I am a woman. |
| Micham meedham | The remaining subtle emotions |
| En kannodu thullamal thullum | Gently bounce in my eyes without jumping. |
| Female | |
| Aadudhu en dhegam | My body sways gently, |
| Aanaal adhil oru sandhegam | Yet within it lies a slight doubt. |
| Male :Kanniyin sandhegam | Male: A maiden's doubt |
| Nalla kaadhalin sangeetham | Is the sweet music of true love. |
| Female | |
| Mandhiram pottaayoo | Have you cast a spell on me? |
| Naan mayangugiren kanna | I am swooning in love, my dear Lord. |
| Male :Sonnadhu podhadhu | Male: What was said is not enough, |
| Innum sollugiren kannae | I shall say even more, my beloved. |
| Male | |
| Acham naanam | Fear and modesty |
| Nee pen endru sollamal sollum | Silently announce that you are a woman. |
| Micham meedham | The remaining subtle emotions |
| Un kannodu thullamal thullum | Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping. |
| Female | |
| Jillendra kaatrodu | Along with the cool breeze |
| Sellkindra poovaasam naan | I am the fragrance of flowers floating away, |
| Adhai nillendru solgindra | And the naughty eyes that command it to halt |
| Polladha kann undhan kannallavoo | Are non other than your eyes, isn't it? |
| Male | |
| Haa acham naanam | Ah, fear and modesty |
| Nee pen endru sollamal sollum | Silently announce that you are a woman. |
| Micham meedham | The remaining subtle emotions |
| Un kannodu thullamal thullum | Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping. |
ஹா அச்சம் நாணம் நீ பெண்ணென்று
சொல்லாமல் சொல்லும்
மிச்சம் மீதம் உன் கண்ணோடு
துள்ளாமல் துள்ளும்
Ah, fear and modesty
Silently announce that you are a woman.
The remaining subtle emotions
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
ஜில்லென்ற காற்றோடு
செல்கின்ற பூவாசம் நான்
அதை நில்லென்று சொல்கின்ற
பொல்லாத கண் உந்தன் கண்ணல்லவோ
Along with the cool breeze
I am the fragrance of flowers floating away,
And the naughty eyes that command it to halt
Are non other than your eyes, isn't it?
ஹா அச்சம் நாணம் நீ பெண்ணென்று
சொல்லாமல் சொல்லும்
மிச்சம் மீதம் உன் கண்ணோடு
துள்ளாமல் துள்ளும்
Ah, fear and modesty
Silently announce that you are a woman.
The remaining subtle emotions
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
கண்ணனின் அவதாரம் என்
காதலன் வடிவாகும்
கண்ணுக்கு அலங்காரம் என்
கண்மணி உருவாகும்
The incarnation of Lord Krishna
Takes the form of my lover.
Male: The true adornment to the eyes
Is the form of my beloved apple of my eye.
பெண்ணுக்கு எது வேண்டும் உண்மை
பேசும் துணை வேண்டும்
நெஞ்சுக்கு எது வேண்டும் சுக
நினைவே வர வேண்டும்.......
What does a woman need?
A truthful companion is what she needs.
Male: What does the heart need?
Only sweet memories should constantly arrive.
அச்சம் நாணம் நான் பெண்ணென்று
சொல்லாமல் சொல்லும்
மிச்சம் மீதம் என் கண்ணோடு
துள்ளாமல் துள்ளும்
Fear and modesty
Silently announce that I am a woman.
The remaining subtle emotions
Gently bounce in my eyes without jumping.
ஆடுது என் தேகம் ஆனால்
அதில் ஒரு சந்தேகம்
கன்னியின் சந்தேகம் நல்ல
காதலின் சங்கீதம்
My body sways gently,
Yet within it lies a slight doubt.
Male: A maiden's doubt
Is the sweet music of true love.
மந்திரம் போட்டாயோ நான்
மயங்குகிறேன் கண்ணா
சொன்னது போதாது இன்னும்
சொல்லுகிறேன் கண்ணே
Have you cast a spell on me?
I am swooning in love, my dear Lord.
Male: What was said is not enough,
I shall say even more, my beloved.
அச்சம் நாணம் நீ பெண்ணென்று
சொல்லாமல் சொல்லும்
மிச்சம் மீதம் உன் கண்ணோடு
துள்ளாமல் துள்ளும்
Fear and modesty
Silently announce that you are a woman.
The remaining subtle emotions
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
ஜில்லென்ற காற்றோடு
செல்கின்ற பூவாசம் நான்
அதை நில்லென்று சொல்கின்ற
பொல்லாத கண் உந்தன் கண்ணல்லவோ
Along with the cool breeze
I am the fragrance of flowers floating away,
And the naughty eyes that command it to halt
Are non other than your eyes, isn't it?
ஹா அச்சம் நாணம் நீ பெண்ணென்று
சொல்லாமல் சொல்லும்
மிச்சம் மீதம் உன் கண்ணோடு
துள்ளாமல் துள்ளும்
Ah, fear and modesty
Silently announce that you are a woman.
The remaining subtle emotions
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
Haa acham naanam
Ah, fear and modesty
Nee pen endru sollamal sollum
Silently announce that you are a woman.
Micham meedham
The remaining subtle emotions
Un kannodu thullamal thullum
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
Jillendra kaatrodu
Along with the cool breeze
Sellkindra poovaasam naan
I am the fragrance of flowers floating away,
Adhai nillendru solgindra
And the naughty eyes that command it to halt
Polladha kann undhan kannallavoo
Are non other than your eyes, isn't it?
Haa acham naanam
Ah, fear and modesty
Nee pen endru sollamal sollum
Silently announce that you are a woman.
Micham meedham
The remaining subtle emotions
Un kannodu thullamal thullum
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
Kannanin avadharam
The incarnation of Lord Krishna
En kadhalan vadivagum
Takes the form of my lover.
Male :Kannukku alangaram
Male: The true adornment to the eyes
En kanmani uruvaagum
Is the form of my beloved apple of my eye.
Pennukku yedhu vendum
What does a woman need?
Unmai pesum thunai vendum
A truthful companion is what she needs.
Male :Nenjukku yedhu vendum
Male: What does the heart need?
Suga ninaivae vara vendum
Only sweet memories should constantly arrive.
Acham naanam
Fear and modesty
Naan pen endru sollamal sollum
Silently announce that I am a woman.
Micham meedham
The remaining subtle emotions
En kannodu thullamal thullum
Gently bounce in my eyes without jumping.
Aadudhu en dhegam
My body sways gently,
Aanaal adhil oru sandhegam
Yet within it lies a slight doubt.
Male :Kanniyin sandhegam
Male: A maiden's doubt
Nalla kaadhalin sangeetham
Is the sweet music of true love.
Mandhiram pottaayoo
Have you cast a spell on me?
Naan mayangugiren kanna
I am swooning in love, my dear Lord.
Male :Sonnadhu podhadhu
Male: What was said is not enough,
Innum sollugiren kannae
I shall say even more, my beloved.
Acham naanam
Fear and modesty
Nee pen endru sollamal sollum
Silently announce that you are a woman.
Micham meedham
The remaining subtle emotions
Un kannodu thullamal thullum
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
Jillendra kaatrodu
Along with the cool breeze
Sellkindra poovaasam naan
I am the fragrance of flowers floating away,
Adhai nillendru solgindra
And the naughty eyes that command it to halt
Polladha kann undhan kannallavoo
Are non other than your eyes, isn't it?
Haa acham naanam
Ah, fear and modesty
Nee pen endru sollamal sollum
Silently announce that you are a woman.
Micham meedham
The remaining subtle emotions
Un kannodu thullamal thullum
Gently bounce in your eyes without jumping.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic romantic duet revolves around the traditional qualities of a Tamil woman—fear (acham) and modesty (naanam)—which silently reveal her womanhood and affection. The lovers engage in a playful, poetic dialogue where the heroine compares her lover to an incarnation of Krishna, while the hero praises her enchanting gaze that can freeze time and motion like a spell.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Emoni (Second letter rhyme)
“Haa acham naanam / Micham meedham”
The second letters of 'acham' and 'micham' rhyme ('ch'), creating a rhythmic flow standard in Tamil poetry.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Sellkindra poovaasam naan”
The heroine compares herself to flower fragrance carried by cool breeze ('poovaasam naan').
Oxymoron / Play of Words
“Un kannodu thullamal thullum”
'Thullamal thullum' translates to 'leaping without actually leaping', poetically describing subtle eye movements.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song 'Acham Naanam' from the 1973 film 'Thedi Vantha Lakshmi' features legendary actors Jaishankar and Lakshmi. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan (credited here alongside Sanjay/MSV arrangement tradition) with memorable renditions by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela, written by Kannadasan.
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