- Lyricist
- Kamal Haasan
- Singers
- Kamal Haasan, Yuvan, Anirudh Ravichander Sid Sriram, DSP, Shankar Mahadevan, Bombay Jayashree, Siddharth, Shruti Haasan, Andrea Jeremiah, Mugen Rao, Ghibran
- Music director
- Ghibran
- Movie name
- Arivum Anbum – Kamal Haasan Album Song
- Movie release year
- 2020
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Mar 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Arivum Anbum' (Wisdom and Love) is a motivational anthem penned by Kamal Haasan during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The song emphasizes global unity, human empathy, and universal responsibility during times of deep crisis. It begins by reflecting on how public good and personal self-interest both stem from individual human choices, reminding listeners that our collective well-being depends on every single person's actions. The lyricist contextualizes human existence within the grand scale of the cosmos, pointing out that our planet is merely a tiny atom in the universe and human beings are an even smaller fraction. It urges humanity to rise above selfishness, treat even the smallest forms of life with compassion, and realize that true power lies not in territorial conquest or wealth, but in enduring wisdom and selfless love.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Alaadhi anbirunthaal... / Anaadhai yaarumillai”
Repetition of the initial vowel 'A' in consecutive lines ('Alaadhi', 'Anaadhai', 'Adaatha'), creating rhythmic harmony.
Cosmic Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Aganda paazh veliyil... Oor anuvaam nammulagu..”
Compares Earth to a microscopic atom ('Anu') in the vast void of space to highlight human humility.
Antithesis / Parallelism
“Podhu nalam enbadhu... Than nalam enbadhum”
Contrasts public good ('Podhu nalam') and self-interest ('Than nalam') to show that both arise from individual actions.
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Azhivindri vaazhvadhu... Nam Arivum Anbumae”
Repeats 'Azhivindri vaazhvadhu' and 'Nam Arivum Anbumae' to reinforce the core message of eternal wisdom and love.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Arivum Anbum' was composed by Ghibran and written/directed by Kamal Haasan during the strictly enforced COVID-19 nationwide lockdown in April 2020. The song featured virtual home-recorded performances by 12 prominent South Indian musical artists, including Anirudh Ravichander, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Bombay Jayashri, Shankar Mahadevan, Sid Sriram, Shruti Haasan, and Andrea Jeremiah.
Keep listening
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