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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ellarumey Thirudangathan

From Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film) · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film)1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Namma naattula nadu roadulaIn our country, right on the street
Namma naattula roadula veettula kaattulaIn our country, on the street, inside houses, and in the wild
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Male
Ponnaana bharathamGolden India
Puththi kettu pochchudaaHas completely lost its mind
Sonnaanae bharathiPoet Bharathi once proclaimed
Sonnathenna aachchudaaWhat happened to what he proclaimed?
Ellaarum innaattuEveryone in this country
Mannan illa mannan illa….Is not a king, not a king...
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Male
{Panthalum maedaiyum pottukiraanHe puts up stages and grand canopies
Oru thundaiyum tholula maattikiraanDrapes a shawl across his shoulder
Ootugal pottida ketkiraanAsks the public to cast their votes
Adha pottathum puththiya maaththikiraan} (2)Once cast, he completely flips his mind
Male
Ellaamae veshamthaan yaedhedho koshamthaanEverything is a charade, just meaningless slogans
Engaeyum thillumullu thindaduthu dhesamthanScams are everywhere, the entire nation is struggling
Ennaalum kozhaigala edhukku vaazhanumWhy should we forever live as cowards?
Appavi manushnellam sivappaa maaranumAll innocent human beings must turn red with rage
Oruththanum inga siththanum illaNo one here is a enlightened saint
Puththanum illa hae….hae….hae…..Nor a Buddha, hae...hae...hae...
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Male
{Eththanai eththanai saamiyadaaOh, so many gods we have!
Idhil en madham un madham sandaiyadaaYet amidst this, my religion and your religion fight!
Eththanai eththanai saamiyadaaOh, so many gods we have!
Idhil en madham un madham sandaiyadaa} (2)Yet amidst this, my religion and your religion fight!
Male
Kallaana dheivangal kaanaama ninnaachchuStone deities stand around helpless and unseen
Ellorum koyil katti inga ippo ennaachchuNow that everyone built temples here, what has changed?
Thannaala purinjikittu ellaarum thirunthanumEveryone must realize on their own and reform
Illaatti nadanthathukku pinnaala varunthanumOtherwise, they will regret later what comes to pass
Anjuvathenna kenjuvathennaWhy fear? Why beg?
Punniyamilla hae….hae….hae…..There is no merit in doing so, hae...hae...hae...
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Namma naattula nadu roadulaIn our country, right on the street
Namma naattula roadula veettula kaattulaIn our country, on the street, inside houses, and in the wild
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind
Male
Ponnaana bharathamGolden India
Puththi kettu pochchudaaHas completely lost its mind
Sonnaanae bharathiPoet Bharathi once proclaimed
Sonnathenna aachchudaaWhat happened to what he proclaimed?
Ellaarum innaattuEveryone in this country
Mannan illa mannan illa….Is not a king, not a king...
Male
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaanEveryone here is a thief
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaanFrankly speaking, everyone here is blind

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a blistering socio-political anthem from the 1985 film 'Naan Sigappu Manithan'. Lyricist Vaali uses sharp, unsparing commentary to expose systemic corruption, political opportunism, and religious communalism in contemporary society. The lyrics directly challenge Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi's idealistic dream of 'Ellaarum Innaattu Mannan' (Everyone is a king of this nation), contrasting it with the grim reality where leaders betray votes, religion divides humanity, and corruption runs rampant from homes to streets. The song serves as a clarion call for the common man to abandon fear, passive acceptance, and cowardice. It urges innocent, oppressed citizens to turn 'red'—a color symbolizing anger, action, and revolutionary vigilante justice against social evils.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhyme / Iyaibu

Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan / Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan

End-rhyming words 'thirudaingathaan' and 'kurudaingaithaan' create a rhythmic and satirical tone across chorus lines.

Alliteration / Etukai

Ponnaana bharatham / Puththi kettu pochchudaa

Repetition of consonant sounds and patterns in consecutive lines (Ponnaana / Puththi, Sonnaanae / Sonnathenna).

Metaphor

Appavi manushnellam sivappaa maaranum

'Sivappaa maaranum' (turning red) is a metaphor for rising up with righteous fury and revolutionary strength against social injustice.

Allusion

Sonnaanae bharathi / Sonnathenna aachchudaa

Direct reference to Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi and his vision of egalitarian democracy ('Ellaarum innaattu mannan').

Did you know?

Trivia

Directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar starring Rajinikanth, 'Naan Sigappu Manithan' ('I am a Red Man') follows an aggrieved professor who turns into a anti-corruption vigilante. The song sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and composed by Ilaiyaraaja captures the core thematic essence of the movie's title, where 'red' symbolizes vigilante wrath against corruption.

Keep listening

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