- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Uyarndha Manithan
- Movie release year
- 1968
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Aug 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Aththai Magal Rethinathai' from the 1968 classic film 'Uyarndha Manithan' is a playful yet emotionally expressive song where the female protagonist teasingly questions her cousin (and beloved) about whether he has forgotten her charm and beauty. She highlights her grace, her speech, her appearance, and the promises of married life, asking if he could truly abandon her to live like an ascetic. Through poetic rhetoric, she questions his distant behavior and expresses her deep longing and playful frustration, asserting that their bond of marriage is inevitable.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Aththai magal rethinathai Aththaan maranthaaraa”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds across words in the same line, such as 'Aththai' and 'Aththaan'.
Edugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kottu muzhakkodu / Kattazhagu meni”
Rhyming of the second letter across consecutive lines, such as 'th' in 'Aththai' and 'Ethir/Kattil' or 'tt' in 'Kottu' and 'Kattazhagu'.
Uvamaani / Metaphor & Simile
“Anna nadai chinna idai / Muthu muthu pechu”
Comparing speech to pearls ('Muthu muthu pechu'), eyes to swords ('Kathi vizhi veechu'), and walking style to a swan ('Anna nadai').
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Munnazhagu thoonga / Pinnazhagu yenga”
Matching ending sounds across rhyming couplets like 'thoonga', 'yenga', and 'marathaaraa'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song features music composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics written by Vaali, performed soulfully by P. Susheela. 'Uyarndha Manithan' starred Sivaji Ganesan and Sowcar Janaki, and was a major box-office hit known for its iconic soundtrack and dramatic performances, winning the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
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