- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Paava Mannippu
- Movie release year
- 1961
- Lyrics added on
- 14 May 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Athaan Ennathan Avar' from Paava Mannippu (1961) is a classic Tamil romantic track expressed from the perspective of a young bride sharing the bashful joy of her intimate moments with her female companion. She shyly narrates how her husband playfully approached her from behind, softly covered her eyes, called out affectionately when she walked away, and praised her beauty before gently embracing her. Kannadasan's lyrics evoke the traditional emotion of 'Naanam' (female bashfulness) combined with youthful romance, capturing a bride overwhelmed with happiness and lost for words to describe her beloved's affection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Eybu (End Rhyme / Suffix Rhyme)
“Mottuthaan Kanni chittuthaan Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan”
Extensive use of the emphatic suffix '-thaan' (Mottuthaan, chittuthaan, muthuthaan, pattuthaan) creates a rhythmic, musical bounce.
Uwamai (Metaphor / Simile)
“Mottuthaan Kanni chittuthaan Muthuthaan udal pattuthaan”
The lover compares the woman to a flower bud (mottu), a young bird (chittu), a pearl (muthu), and delicate silk (pattu).
Adukku Thodaru (Rhythmic Verbal Pairs)
“Inaithaan valaithaan Pidithaan anaithaan”
Pairs of fast-paced verbs like 'Inaithaan valaithaan' and 'Pidithaan anaithaan' build dramatic momentum illustrating the lover's playful actions.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy with iconic rendition by P. Susheela, this song from Paava Mannippu (1961) remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous portrayals of feminine shyness (Naanam). The film featured stars Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Devika, and Savitri.
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