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Alli Thandha Vaanam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Chennai Pattanam (Kasu Kasu)

From Alli Thandha Vaanam · 2001

Lyricist
Kabilan
Singers
Udit Narayan, Sruthi Unnikrishnan
Music director
Vidyasagar
Movie name
Alli Thandha Vaanam
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
4 Jul 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Chennai pattinam ellaam kattanam
Kaiya neettinaa kaasu mazhai kottanum
Haei chennai pattinam ellaam kattanam
Kaiya neettinaa kaasu mazhai kottanum
Kudkkira thaneer kaasu
Kosuvai viratta kaasu
Archanai seettum
Male and Chorus :Kaasu
Thervu seettum
Male and Chorus :Kaasu
Male :Auto meter kaasu
Thiruttu video kaasu
Male :Poli saamiyaar
Male and Chorus :Kaasu
Male :Ponaththin neththiyilum
Male and Chorus :Kaasu
Gandhi jeyanthi madhukkadai thiranthu
Maraivaa viththaa kaasu
Thottil thodangi savapetti varaiil
Thottathukellaam kaasu
Kaasu kaasu kaasu
Chorus :………………..
Haei chennai pattinam ellaam kattanam
Kaiya neettinaa kaasu mazhai kottanum
Bhoomi vattamaa kaasu vattamaa
Naadae suththuthae naagareegam suththuthae
Kadarkarai kadhal kaasu
Government mappilae kaasu
Neelapadamum kaasu
Ada sivappum vilakkum kaasu
Lkgyum kaasu
Mbbs kaasu
Idlya viththaalum kaasu
Un kidney viththaalum kaasu
Vayasu ponnu vayasaanae
Varangal kidaikka kaasu
Karpini vayiththil penn sisu irunthaal
Karppaththai kalaikkavum kaasu
Kaasu
Chorus :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Chorus :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Chorus :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Haei chennai pattinam ellaam kattanam
Kaiya neettinaa kaasu mazhai kottanum
………………..
Katchi nooruda kolgai illaeda
Karansiyai neettudaa kaimelae pottudaa yov
Oorvalam ponaa kaasu
Vanmurai senjaa kaasu
Saathi sangam kaasu
Santhana maramum kaasu
Koottani saernthaa kaasu
Theekkulikkavum kaasu
Porampokku nilamum kaasu
Ada ilavasam kooda kaaasu
Yae kadavulai manithan kaattik kodukka
Yoothaas vaanginaa kaasu
Kaasin mathippai ariyaa manithan
Ulagil sellaa kaasu
Kaasu kaasu kaasu
Chorus :……………..
Kaasu
Female :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Female :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Female :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
Male :Kaasu
Female :Kaasu kaasu kaasu kaasu
In Chennai city, everything has a price,
If you stretch out your hand, money must pour like rain.
Hey, in Chennai city, everything has a price,
If you stretch out your hand, money must pour like rain.
Drinking water costs money,
Chasing away mosquitoes costs money,
A temple prayer ticket costs
Male & Chorus: Money!
An exam hall ticket costs
Male & Chorus: Money!
Male: The auto-rickshaw meter costs money,
Pirated movies cost money,
Male: A fake holy man wants
Male & Chorus: Money!
Male: Even on a corpse's forehead, there is
Male & Chorus: Money!
Opening liquor shops on Gandhi Jayanti
And selling in secret brings money!
From the cradle to the coffin,
Everything you touch costs money!
Money, money, money!
Chorus: ...
Hey, in Chennai city, everything has a price,
If you stretch out your hand, money must pour like rain.
Is the earth round, or is money round?
The whole country spins, civilization spins around it!
Romance at the beach costs money,
A groom with a government job costs money,
Adult films cost money,
Ah, the red-light district costs money,
Kindergarten admission costs money,
A medical seat costs money,
Selling steamed rice cakes brings money,
Selling your kidney brings money!
When an unmarried woman grows older,
Finding marriage alliances takes money.
If a pregnant woman carries a baby girl,
Aborting the pregnancy costs money!
Money!
Chorus: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Chorus: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Chorus: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Hey, in Chennai city, everything has a price,
If you stretch out your hand, money must pour like rain.
...
There are a hundred political parties, but no principles!
Hand over the cash, place it in my palm, hey!
Marching in a rally pays money,
Causing violence pays money,
Caste associations make money,
Smuggled sandalwood brings money,
Joining a political alliance brings money,
Even setting oneself on fire in protest pays money!
Public wasteland fetches money,
Ah, even free handouts cost money!
Hey, for a man to betray God,
Judas accepted money!
A person who does not understand the value of money,
Is just a worthless coin in this world!
Money, money, money!
Chorus: ...
Money!
Female: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Female: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Female: Money, money, money, money!
Male: Money!
Female: Money, money, money, money!
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Chennai Pattinam' (popularly known as 'Kaasu Kaasu') from the 2001 film Alli Thandha Vaanam is a satirical track critiquing hyper-commercialism and money-driven societal obsession. Lyricist Kabilan humorously yet sharply details how every aspect of human life—from birth (cradle) to death (coffin), education, marriage, healthcare, politics, and even religion—has been monetized. Vidyasagar's vibrant beats and Udit Narayan's energetic, playful delivery underscore the tragicomic reality of modern living where material wealth dictates human value. Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder that a life governed solely by money renders a person as useless as a fake coin.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kaiya neettinaa kaasu mazhai kottanum

'Kaasu mazhai' (Rain/shower of money) metaphorically compares the rapid, overflowing transaction of currency to a heavy rain shower.

Juxtaposition / Hyperbole

Thottil thodangi savapetti varaiil

'Thottil thodangi savapetti varaiil' contrasts the cradle (birth) and the coffin (death) to hyperbolically emphasize that commercialization plagues human life from start to end.

Allusion

Yae kadavulai manithan kaattik kodukka Yoothaas vaanginaa kaasu

References the biblical story of Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus Christ for thirty pieces of silver to illustrate how greed leads to ultimate betrayal.

Did you know?

Trivia

sung by Udit Narayan with lyrics by Kabilan, this song became an anthemic comedic hit across Tamil Nadu in the early 2000s due to its relatable socio-economic commentary on life in Chennai.

Keep listening

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