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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Arasiyal Kedi

From Tughlaq Durbar · 2020

Lyricist
Karthik Netha
Singers
Sid Sriram, Bhuvana Ananth
Music director
Govind Vasantha
Details
Tughlaq Durbar2020

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Arasiyal kedi athanaiyum poliA political crook, completely fake
Pachapulla pola sirikkiraanHe smiles like an innocent newborn child
Kedachavan bangam ketta paiyan singamAnyone caught gets wrecked, this bad boy is a lion
Nikka vachu aappu adikkiraanHe makes you stand and traps you cold
Male
Karithundu veesi kandathaiyum pesiThrowing a piece of charcoal and blabbering nonsense
Mandaikulla oosi yerakkuraanHe injects ideas straight into your mind
Puzhukaiya maathi thangamena kaatiTurning dirt around to present it as gold
Bongu bongu bongu viduraanHe keeps pulling off scam after scam
Male
Hero hero hero heroHero hero hero hero
Karukka murukkumCrisp and crunchy
Maalu deal-u mavanda..aa..This fellow is full of fishy deals, my son!
Maala mela maala pottuGarlanding you with garland after garland
Asarum neramWhen you lower your guard in exhaustion
Kaala vaarum yemandaa…aa…He is the Lord of Death who trips your legs!
Female
Agulavuttu aattu appa kooda sikkuchinnaShake it wide, and if even your father gets caught...
Igulavuttu yethu sikkavudu sikkathaPush it with a smirk, trap others without getting trapped
Dagulu dabba aattu thokka vara mukkuchinnaPlay your bluff trick, if it gets squeezed till the end...
Ragudu raththam aadu pagachukatha singathaPlay with rugged blood, don't pick a fight with the lion
Female
Karanttu kambimela kaala vachuttaYou placed your foot on a live electric wire!
Mudhala vaayikulla kaiya vuttuttaYou shoved your hand right into a crocodile's mouth!
Pagada aattathula pagudu ellam pekkuraanIn the game of dice, he tears down all opponent tricks
Saguni veshathula vachu vachu seiyuraanDisguised as Shakuni, he thoroughly destroys you step by step
Male
Poo malaiya kaathula suthuvaanHe spins a garland of flowers around your ear to trick you
Kadapaaraiya muthukula kuthuvaanAnd plunges a crowbar straight into your back
Oru quater-u bottle-la koduthuBy handing over a quarter bottle of liquor
Kadha vaangidum kadhakaaranHe is a storyteller who buys up your story
Male
Muzhu poosani sothula maraipaanHe hides an entire pumpkin in a small plate of rice
Yemakadhagan kaariyam mudippaanThe ruthless master-scammer gets the job done
Padupaathagan yerimalai kozhampulaThat mega-villain, in a stew of volcanic lava...
Soup-u poduvaanMakes a bowl of soup!
Male
Hero hero hero heroHero hero hero hero
Karukka murukkumCrisp and crunchy
Maalu deal-u mavanda..aa..This fellow is full of fishy deals, my son!
Kaalavaari kaalavaariTripping people up again and again
Idatha pudikkumTaking over the top spot
Molla maari ivanda…aa…He is a slippery fraudster!
Male
Enakkaanadhu kottaiyin saaviThe key to the fort belongs to me
Adhu onnu thaanThat is the only thing
Nadu medaiyil poranthavan naandaI am the one born right in the middle of the stage
SingamA lion!
Nara narampula naadiyil ellaamIn every nerve, vein, and pulse
Adam pudikkuthu kottaiya aalaThere is a stubborn urge to rule the fort
Edha pudunganum pudunguven neataa….Whatever needs to be uprooted, I will uproot it cleanly...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Arasiyal Kedi from Tughlaq Durbar is a satirical, high-energy track describing the deceptive craftiness of an ambitious political rogue. The song contrasts the protagonist's innocent facade with his ruthless, cunning antics. Through vivid local metaphors and street slang, the lyrics illustrate how he tricks the public, stabs opponents in the back, and navigates political corruption with absolute audacity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile

Pachapulla pola sirikkiraan

Compares a corrupt politician's deceptive smile to that of an innocent newborn baby (Pachapulla pola).

Allusion

Saguni veshathula vachu vachu seiyuraan

Refers to Shakuni from the epic Mahabharata to symbolize ultimate masterminding and backstabbing in games of power.

Hyperbole

Padupaathagan yerimalai kozhampula Soup-u poduvaan

An extreme exaggeration depicting the antagonist making soup out of boiling volcanic lava.

Idiom / Metaphor

Muzhu poosani sothula maraipaan

Uses the famous Tamil idiom of hiding a whole pumpkin in a small plate of rice to express grand deception.

Did you know?

Trivia

Tughlaq Durbar is a political satire film starring Vijay Sethupathi. Composed by Govind Vasantha with lyrics by Karthik Netha, the track uses raw Chennai street slang to satirize political campaigns and backstabbing tactics.

Keep listening

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