- Lyricist
- V. Seetharaman
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Athisaya Penn
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 31 Jul 2020
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This humorous lighthearted song from Athisaya Penn (1959) describes a seemingly perfect, ideal woman who exhibits every traditional virtue to an extreme degree. She never complains, demands expensive clothes or jewelry, fights with her husband, or quarrels with her in-laws, nor does she waste time admiring herself in the mirror or roaming the market. The lyrics playfully set up an exaggerated standard of a quiet, obedient woman, framed by rhythmic gibberish phrases ('Eenaa meenaa teegaa'). The comedic punchline at the end reveals why this woman is so perfect and untroublesome: she is actually a mannequin or inanimate figure with no breath or life in her, turning traditional idealizations of women into a witty satire.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Sonna sollai thattaathu / Soru thanni ketkaathu / Kannaadi mun nikaathu / Kadai theruvai suththaathu”
Consecutive lines end with identical rhyming suffixes (-aathu), creating a punchy, rhythmic cadence typical of satirical Tamil songs.
Uvamai (Metaphor / Comparison)
“Anna nadai nadanthu varum thangam”
Compares the woman's graceful walking style to a swan (Anna nadai) and her intrinsic worth to precious gold (thangam).
Monaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Pudavai nagai porulum... / Purushanaiyum sandaikku...”
Repetition of the initial 'Pu' sound across lines to establish musical rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Athisaya Penn' (1959) starred Akkineni Nageswara Rao and Vyjayanthimala in lead roles and was a remake of the Hindi hit 'Asha' (1957). The nonsense vocalic phrases like 'Eenaa meenaa teegaa' are playful rhythmic scatting used in early South Indian cinema, inspired by Western rock-and-roll novelty refrains.
Keep listening
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