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Lyrics & meaning

Bongu Kichan

From Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum · 2016

Lyricist
Vivek
Singer
Santhosh Narayanan
Music director
Santhosh Narayanan
Details
Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum2016

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Bongu kichaanFraudster guy
Vaangikkuraan salpi sekaruGetting beaten up, cheap guy Sekar
AakkaanBig shot
Perusaa vanttaan sollaCame here boasting big
Mooditu odiruShut up and run away
Chorus
KaaduForest
Kaadu maela vooduA house above the forest
Voodu maela theevuAn island above the house
Theevu maela aaluA person on top of the island
Chorus
AaluPerson
Aalu maela maaluMoney on top of the person
Maalu maela aaluA person on top of the money
Anna vaaiyila apple-uAn apple stuffed in brother's mouth
Male
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Chorus
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Male
Savuru moottiHeating up the wall
Kavuru kattiTying up with rope
Pona annaachiThe elder brother who left
Ada saltu kottaaHey, without going to the salt depot
PovaamalaeWithout going
Naasthaa thinnaachuBreakfast was eaten
Male
Manasu ethayo thaeduchuThe heart searched for something
Lightaa valukkinu oduchuSlipping slightly, it ran
Male
Jabaru kaattiShowing off arrogantly
Mansu thimiru pannuche….The mind acted stubborn and proud
Chorus :Pannuche….Chorus: It acted so...
Male
Kaavaa vittuLeaving the ditch
Confuse aayi ninnichuIt stood there confused
Chorus :NinnichuChorus: It stood there...
Male
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Chorus
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Chorus
……………….....
Chorus
Thaattu poottuLock and key hustle
Thavulu paattuThavil drum beat song
Aal appeettuThe person disappeared
Kaala neettuStretch your leg
Kaalu maattuHook your leg
Last-u naattuPlant at the end
Waste mannaachuIt all turned into useless mud
Male
Eguru nee kaattiJump around and show off
Topi unakkuYou get fooled with a hat on your head
Couple-u holdsuA couple of holds
Vuttu pochchunaaIf you let go
Gandhi kanakkuIt becomes a forgotten debt
Chorus
Aahaa haa ahaaAahaa haa ahaa
Aahaa haa aahaaAahaa haa aahaa
Aa….aa….aa….aahaa haa aahaaAa... aa... aa... aahaa haa aahaa
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Chorus
KaaduForest
Kaadu maela vooduKaadu maela voodu (A house above the forest)
Voodu maela theevuVoodu maela theevu (An island above the house)
Theevu maela aalu.Theevu maela aalu (A person on top of the island)
Chorus
AaluPerson
Aalu maela maaluAalu maela maalu (Money on top of the person)
Maalu maela aaluMaalu maela aalu (A person on top of the money)
Anna vaaiyila apple-uAn apple stuffed in brother's mouth
Chorus
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar
Chorus
BonguBluff
Ayya bonguOh sir, bluff!
Bongu bonguBluff, bluff
Salpi sekaruCheap Sekar

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Bongu Kichaan' (also known as the Bongu track) from 'Kadhalum Kadandhu Pogum' is a quirky, fast-paced Madras slang song that hilariously mocks the misadventures and false bravado of the protagonist, Kathir, and his local buddy Sekar. Through playful lyrics filled with North Chennai street idioms, nonsense rhymes, and absurd imagery, the track captures the chaotic and unglamorous life of small-time rowdies who constantly end up getting beaten up or duped despite their grand ambitions.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anadiplosis / Chain Rhyme (Madras Street Style)

Kaadu / Kaadu maela voodu / Voodu maela theevu / Theevu maela aalu

The end word or concept of one line begins the next, creating a playful, cascading nonsense rhyme structure typical of children's folk games.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme) & Monai (Alliteration)

Savuru mootti / Kavuru katti

Traditional Tamil poetic meter applied using contemporary local dialect to maintain rhythm.

Idiomatic Metaphor (Tamil Slang)

Vuttu pochchunaa / Gandhi kanakku

'Gandhi kanakku' refers to an unrecoverable debt or a written-off account, metaphorically implying that once something slips, it is gone forever.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song incorporates authentic North Chennai slang words like 'Salpi' (cheap/worthless), 'Maalu' (money/goods), and 'Bongu' (fraud/trickery). Santhosh Narayanan composed and sang this track himself to preserve the raw, uninhibited street flavor required for Nalan Kumarasamy's black comedy film.

Keep listening

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