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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Adheeraa

From Cobra · 2022

Lyricist
Pa. Vijay
Singer
Vagu Mazan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Cobra2022

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Dheera dheeraadhi dheeraBravest of the brave!
Thuppaki mandhiraIncantation of the gun!
Samar seiyum chandhiraMoon fighting on the battlefield!
Yugam vella vandheeraHave you come to conquer an era?
Female
Oara oaraaiyram pudhiraA thousand-fold mystery!
Anu ulaiyin udhiraBlood-spark of a nuclear reactor!
Min gaandha kadhiraElectromagnetic ray!
Deeraadhi dheeraBravest of the brave!
Female
Ivan thotttaakkal vilayaatilIn his game of bullets,
Jeipadhae vidhiyaagumVictory is ordained as destiny.
Ivan thottathil thuppakkiIn his garden, gun-plants
Chedigal poovagumBloom into flowers.
Male
Adheera AdheeraAdheera, Adheera!
Un roobham pala nooraaAre your forms in the hundreds?
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...
Male
Hey soora hey sooraHey hero, hey hero!
adangaadha adheegaraUnrestrained authority!
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...
Female
Nee oruvan alla iruvanYou are not one, but two.
Andha iruvanum ingae oruvanAnd both of those two are here as one.
Un iruvaril nallavan oruvanBetween the two within you, one is good.
Adhai meeriya valavan oruvanBeyond that, one is powerful.
Female
Un ullae irupavan manidhanThe one inside you is a human.
Avan ullae innoru kanidhanInside him is another calculating mind.
Un manidham unnai sollumYour humanity defines who you are.
Un kanidhan ulagai vellumYour calculating mind conquers the world.
Female
Perum vetrigalai petravaninThe heart of one who achieves grand victories
Idhayam aadathuDoes not shake or waver.
Malai mel ulla sigarangalThe peaks standing high on mountains
Magudam soodathuDo not wear crowns.
Male
Adheera AdheeraAdheera, Adheera!
Un roobham pala nooraaAre your forms in the hundreds?
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...
Male
Hey soora hey sooraHey hero, hey hero!
Adangaadha adheegaraUnrestrained authority!
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...
Female
Oraariyiram yaanaiyin kottamA herd of thousands of elephants
Oru puliyin yukthi thattumIs struck down by a tiger's clever tactic.
Nooraayiram saenai vattamA circle of a hundred thousand soldiers
Oru arivin theepori ettumIs reached by a single spark of intelligence.
Female
Ada nermai endraal mattumAh, only if it is honesty,
Pala kaigalum ingae thattumMany hands here will applaud.
Ner nirukkum marangalai mattumYet only the trees standing tall and straight,
Andha kaigaley vandhu vettumThose very hands will chop down.
Female
Ivan kottaikul kidayaadhuInside his fortress, there are no
Nyaya sattangalStandard legal laws.
Pin vaangaadhu veezhadhuHis plans never retreat,
Ivanin thittangalNor do they ever fail.
Male
Adheera AdheeraAdheera, Adheera!
Un roobham pala nooraaAre your forms in the hundreds?
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...
Male
Hey soora hey sooraHey hero, hey hero!
Adangaadha adheegaraUnrestrained authority!
Oru moochil aalai allumSweeping people away in a single breath,
Edhaiyum vellumConquering everything,
Cobra…Cobra...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Adheera from the movie Cobra is a powerful, energetic anthem celebrating the sharp intellect, invincibility, and dual identity of the protagonist. The lyrics written by Pa. Vijay describe a mastermind whose mathematical calculations and strategic brilliance can vanquish massive armies single-handedly. He operates outside normal legal frameworks, driven by an inner duality—one side a compassionate human, and the other a ruthless, calculating genius. The song emphasizes how sheer intelligence and unshakeable resolve can triumph over raw force, mirroring Vikram's character who uses multiple disguises and mathematical precision to pull off impossible feats. A. R. Rahman's driving rhythm and Vagu Mazan's fierce vocals amplify this heroic character study.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaippu (End Rhyme)

Thuppaki mandhira / Samar seiyum chandhira / Yugam vella vandheera

The song heavily uses end rhyming sounds such as 'mandhira', 'chandhira', and 'vandheera' in the opening stanza to create a rhythmic chant.

Paradox / Duality (Muran)

Nee oruvan alla iruvan / Andha iruvanum ingae oruvan

Pa. Vijay uses paradoxical lines like 'Nee oruvan alla iruvan' (You are not one, but two) to highlight the split personality and disguise-heavy nature of the character.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Nooraayiram saenai vattam / Oru arivin theepori ettum

Comparing intellectual sparks to weapons and army-defeating elements ('Oru arivin theepori ettum'), metaphorically elevating mind power above physical warfare.

Did you know?

Trivia

Adheera was composed by A. R. Rahman and features dynamic vocals by Vagu Mazan with rap/melodic styling. The song directly reflects the premise of Cobra (2022), where Chiyaan Vikram plays a mathematical genius assassin who adopts over a dozen distinct avatars.

Keep listening

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