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Aalavandhan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Africa Kaattu Puli

From Aalavandhan · 2001

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Nandini Srikar
Music director
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Movie name
Aalavandhan
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
4 Oct 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
……………………………..
Africa kaattu puli
Aal thinnum vettai puli
……………………………….
Africa kaattu puli
Aal thinnum vettai puli
Mun jenmam moppam thedi
Alaiyuthae
Paattu paadi mudiya munnae
Vettai aadi mudikkanumae
Thee parakkum kangalodu
Theduthae….
Africa kaattu puli
Aal thinnum vettai puli
Mun jenmam moppam thedi
Alaiyuthae
Paattu paadi mudiya munnae
Vettai aadi mudikkanumae
Thee parakkum kangalodu
Theduthae….
……………………………….
Munn jenmathil
Pul meyum maanaaga vanthen
Puliyaaga nee
Vandhu yennai yen kondraai
Appodhu iraiyaavum
Maanaai vanthen
Ippodhu irai thedum
Puliyaai vanthen
Nee aagaayam sendraalum
Pali vaanguven
Unn raththaai kondu
Sevaanam seiven
Indraenum endraenum
Rendaaga kondaadi kondraalthaan
Yen kobam maarumae
Yuthathil naan vendru
Raththathil neeraadi
Puli vadivam poovaaga maaruven
……………………………..
…………………………………
Kanden kanden
Paavathin bimbam kanden
Konden konden
Kondraada sabathamum konden
Narasimma avathaaram
Andru andru
Puli konda avathaaram
Indru indru
Kannodu naan konda kobam kandu
Kaatrellaam minsaaram paayum indru
Mandraadi paarthaalum
Kondraadi theerthuvittu
Indrodu yivadivum neenguven
Munn jenmam vaazhavillai
Pinn jenmam thoongavillai
Indriravu nimathiyaai thoonguven
……………………………….
Ha hahahahahahaha…
.........................
The wild tiger of Africa,
The man-eating hunting tiger,
.........................
The wild tiger of Africa,
The man-eating hunting tiger,
Searching for the scent of a past life,
It wanders...
Before the song finishes singing,
The hunt must be completed!
With fire-spitting eyes,
It searches….
The wild tiger of Africa,
The man-eating hunting tiger,
Searching for the scent of a past life,
It wanders...
Before the song finishes singing,
The hunt must be completed!
With fire-spitting eyes,
It searches….
.........................
In a previous life,
I came as a grass-grazing deer.
As a tiger, you,
Why did you come and kill me?
Back then, as prey,
I came as a deer.
Now, searching for prey,
I have come as a tiger.
Even if you go up to the sky,
I will take my revenge!
With your blood,
I will turn the horizon red.
Be it today or any day,
Only if I celebrate by splitting you in two and killing you,
Will my rage subside!
Winning in this war,
Bathing in blood,
My tiger form will turn as soft as a flower.
.........................
.........................
I saw, I saw!
I saw the image of sin!
I took, I took!
I took a vow to celebrate by slaying!
The Narasimha incarnation,
Back then, back then!
The incarnation taken by the tiger,
Is today, is today!
Seeing the rage I hold in my eyes,
Electricity surges through all the air today!
Even if you beg on your knees,
After killing you in celebration,
I will shed even this form today!
I did not live in my previous life,
I did not sleep in my later life,
Tonight, I shall sleep peacefully.
.........................
Ha hahahahahahaha…
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This track, titled 'Africa Kaattu Puli' from Kamal Haasan's psychological thriller 'Aalavandhan' (2001), expresses the intense, vengeful psyche of the protagonist/antagonist Nandhu. Driven by childhood trauma, psychosis, and a sense of karmic retribution, Nandhu envisions himself as a predatory tiger hunting down his victim, whom he views as an embodiment of evil. The lyrics draw vivid metaphors comparing past lives to prey (a innocent deer) and current lives to the hunter (a fierce tiger), framing his murderous rampage as an avataric act akin to Lord Narasimha destroying evil to find eventual peace.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

“Africa kaattu puli / Aal thinnum vettai puli”

Compares the protagonist's alter-ego directly to an African wild tiger ('Africa kaattu puli') hunting its prey.

Alliteration & Monai (Initial Rhyming)

“Kanden kanden / Paavathin bimbam kanden”

Repetition of initial consonants/sounds such as 'Kanden kanden' and 'Konden konden' to create rhythmic intensity.

Contrast (Edhiraai Amaithal)

“Appodhu iraiyaavum / Maanaai vanthen / Ippodhu irai thedum / Puliyaai vanthen”

Contrasts the gentle deer ('maan') of the past with the ferocious tiger ('puli') of the present.

Allusion (Puraana Kurippeedhu)

“Narasimma avathaaram / Andru andru / Puli konda avathaaram / Indru indru”

References Lord Narasimha's furious incarnation to justify his righteous, destructive rage.

Did you know?

Trivia

Aalavandhan (2001) featured music composed by the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song captures the tortured psychological state of Nandhu, played by Kamal Haasan in a dual role. The film's innovative visual style and dark soundtrack heavily influenced global cinema, including Quentin Tarantino, who cited Aalavandhan's animated violence sequences as an inspiration for Kill Bill.

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