- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. B. Sreenivas, P. Susheela
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Movie name
- Annai
- Movie release year
- 1962
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Mar 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic duet from the 1962 film 'Annai' uses rich literary and epic allusions to explore love, human perception, and emotional union. The lyrics draw parallels to Sita waiting for Rama in Mithila from the Ramayana and Kannagi's devotion to Kovalan from the Tamil epic Silappatikaram, framing romantic devotion as timeless.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Literary Allusion (Ilakkiya Uvamai)
“Azhagiya mithilai nagarinilae / Kaaviya kannagi idhayathilae”
Refers to classical mythological and literary epics—Sita's wait for Rama in Ramayana and Kannagi's love for Kovalan in Silappatikaram—to highlight deep devotion.
Contrast / Antithesis (Maranpatta Porul)
“Ilaiyavar endraal aasai varum / Mudhiyavar endraal paasam varum”
Contrasts how young vs old onlookers perceive a woman: youth brings romance/desire while old age brings parental affection.
Emoni / Rhyme (Iyaibu)
“Ilaiyavar endraal aasai varum”
Use of matching end rhymes across consecutive lines ('aasai varum' / 'paasam varum') to enhance musical cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Annai' (1962) was scored by R. Sudarsanam and produced by AVM Productions. This iconic duet was rendered by P. B. Sreenivas and P. Susheela, featuring Kannadasan's celebrated philosophical lyrics.
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