- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Apoorva Sagodharargal
- Movie release year
- 1989
- Lyrics added on
- 4 Jun 2017
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Annaatha aaduraar
Oththikko oththikko
Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Oththukko oththukko
Annaatha aaduraar
Chorus :Oththikko oththikko
Male :Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Chorus :Oththukko oththukko
Kaattoaram maeyum
Kurumbaadu adhai
Pottaathaan namakku saappaadu
Ada kaattoaram maeyum
Chorus :Kurumbaadu
Male :Adhai pottaathaan namakku
Chorus :Saappaadu
Seerinaa seeruven
Keerinaa keeruven
{Annaatha aaduraar
Chorus :Oththikko oththikko
Male :Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Chorus :Oththukko oththukko} (2)
Ada thaara thambattam
Thattattum kottattum naanaada hoi
Thesam thikku ettum chokkatum
Nikkatum poovaaram poadathaan
Paaru munnaalum pinnaalum
yennaalum vaalaada hoi
Ye aarum vambukkum thumbukkum
Engittae vaaraama odathaan
Ada pokkiri aaduraan
Modhinaa thooludhaan
Naan paanjaada
Chorus :Hoi hoi
Mookkudhaan mogaradhaan
Yegirithaan pogumae
Naan paandhaada
Chorus :Hoi hoi
Kilaadi oorilae
Chorus :Yaarada koorada
Male :Malaadi paarpooma
Chorus :Vangada ahhh
Oru thuppakki kaiyil yedukaathae
Yentha thottavum yenna tholaikaathae
Annaatha aaduraar
Chorus :Oththikko oththikko
Male :Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Chorus :Oththukko oththukko
Ada annaatha aaduraar
Chorus :Oththikko oththikko
Male :Podu thenaaattu vengadhaan
Chorus :Oththukko oththukko} (2)
Ada paasam vechaalae
Vaalaatti nippenae naaipola hoi
Mosam senjalae kollaamal kolvenae
Peypola maarithaan
Ullam ippothum eppothum
Kondenae poovaaga hoi
Gnayam illatha pollarai
Chaaipenae puliyaaga maarithaan
Ada ottunna ottuven
Vettuna vettuven en veeraapu
Chorus :Hoi hoi
Oththaiya ninnu naan
Viththaya kaatuven en kiththaapu
Chorus :Hoi hoi
Villaadhi villanum
Chorus :Anjanum kenjanum
Male :Vandhingae vandhanam
Chorus :Sollanum mmm
Oru thuppakki kaiyil yedukaathae
Yentha thottavum yenna tholaikaathae
Annaatha aaduraar
Chorus :Oththikko oththikko
Male :Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Chorus :Oththukko oththukko
Kaattoaram maeyum
Kurumbaadu adhai
Pottaathaan namakku saappaadu
Ada kaattoaram maeyum
Chorus :Kurumbaadu
Male :Adha pottaathaan namakku
Chorus :Saappaadu
Seerinaa seeruven
Keerinaa keeruven
{Annaatha aaduraar
Oththikko oththikko
Thenaaattu vengadhaan
Oththukko oththukko} (2)
Hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi hoi
Big brother is dancing!
Step aside, step aside!
He is the tiger of the south,
Admit it, accept it!
Big brother is dancing!
Chorus: Step aside, step aside!
Male: He is the tiger of the south,
Chorus: Admit it, accept it!
Grazing by the edge of the forest,
A mischievous sheep—
Only if we hunt it down do we get our food!
Hey, grazing by the edge of the forest,
Chorus: A mischievous sheep...
Male: Only if we hunt it down...
Chorus: Do we get our food!
If you hiss at me, I will hiss right back!
If you scratch me, I will rip you apart!
Big brother is dancing!
Chorus: Step aside, step aside!
Male: He is the tiger of the south,
Chorus: Admit it, accept it!
Hey, let the pipes and drums
Beat and pound as I dance, hey!
Let all eight directions of the land be charmed,
Let them line up to shower me with garlands!
Look, in front of me and behind me,
People always wag their tails, hey!
So no one comes picking fights or trouble with me,
And everyone runs away without crossing my path!
Hey, the rogue is dancing!
Clash with me, and you will turn to dust!
When I leap and dance,
Chorus: Hoy hoy!
Your nose and your face
Will go flying off!
When I strike and dance,
Chorus: Hoy hoy!
In this town, who is the real boss?
Chorus: Tell us, who is it?
Male: Shall we wrestle and find out?
Chorus: Come on then, ahhh!
Do not bother pulling a gun in your hand,
No bullet can ever finish me off!
Big brother is dancing!
Chorus: Step aside, step aside!
Male: He is the tiger of the south,
Chorus: Admit it, accept it!
Hey, big brother is dancing!
Chorus: Step aside, step aside!
Male: Hit it! He is the tiger of the south,
Chorus: Admit it, accept it!
If you show me true affection,
I will wag my tail and stay by you like a dog, hey!
But if you double-cross me, I will torment you to death,
Turning into a terrifying ghost!
Deep inside, my heart has always,
Always remained gentle as a flower, hey!
But against wicked people who have no justice,
I will bring them down, turning into a tiger!
If I stick with you, I am fully loyal;
If I cut ties, you are done for—that is my pride!
Chorus: Hoy hoy!
Standing all on my own,
I will show off my skills and my swagger!
Chorus: Hoy hoy!
Even the greatest of villains
Chorus: Must fear and plead!
Male: Coming right here,
Chorus: They must bow and show respect, mmm!
Do not bother pulling a gun in your hand,
No bullet can ever finish me off!
Big brother is dancing!
Chorus: Step aside, step aside!
Male: He is the tiger of the south,
Chorus: Admit it, accept it!
Grazing by the edge of the forest,
A mischievous sheep—
Only if we hunt it down do we get our food!
Hey, grazing by the edge of the forest,
Chorus: A mischievous sheep...
Male: Only if we hunt it down...
Chorus: Do we get our food!
If you hiss at me, I will hiss right back!
If you scratch me, I will rip you apart!
Big brother is dancing!
Step aside, step aside!
He is the tiger of the south,
Admit it, accept it!
Hoy hoy hoy hoy hoy hoy!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Annaatha Aaduraar is an iconic, energetic hero-introduction song from Apoorva Sagodharargal (1989), featuring Raja (played by Kamal Haasan). The song serves as a bold celebration of the protagonist's street-smart nature, supreme confidence, and unyielding fearlessness. He warns troublemakers to step aside, declaring himself as formidable as a Bengal tiger from the southern land.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Seerinaa seeruven / Keerinaa keeruven”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words to create rhythm.
Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Annaatha aaduraar / Thenaaattu vengadhaan”
Rhyming the second character of lines to maintain Tamil poetic cadence.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vaalaatti nippenae naaipola hoi ... Chaaipenae puliyaaga maarithaan”
Direct comparison of human traits to animal behaviors (loyal as a dog, fierce as a tiger).
Iyaibu (Refrain / End Rhyme)
“Oththikko oththikko / Oththukko oththukko”
Repetition of identical words at line endings for dramatic call-and-response effect.
Did you know?
Trivia
This high-octane track was composed by Ilaiyaraaja, written by Vaali, and sung with intense vigor by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. It remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous mass dance anthems, celebrated for Kamal Haasan's energetic choreography and iconic street-style swagger.
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