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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ellarumey Thirudangathan

From Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film) · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Naan Sigappu Manithan (1985 Film)
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
1 Oct 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
Namma naattula nadu roadula
Namma naattula roadula veettula kaattula
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
Ponnaana bharatham
Puththi kettu pochchudaa
Sonnaanae bharathi
Sonnathenna aachchudaa
Ellaarum innaattu
Mannan illa mannan illa….
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
{Panthalum maedaiyum pottukiraan
Oru thundaiyum tholula maattikiraan
Ootugal pottida ketkiraan
Adha pottathum puththiya maaththikiraan} (2)
Ellaamae veshamthaan yaedhedho koshamthaan
Engaeyum thillumullu thindaduthu dhesamthan
Ennaalum kozhaigala edhukku vaazhanum
Appavi manushnellam sivappaa maaranum
Oruththanum inga siththanum illa
Puththanum illa hae….hae….hae…..
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
{Eththanai eththanai saamiyadaa
Idhil en madham un madham sandaiyadaa
Eththanai eththanai saamiyadaa
Idhil en madham un madham sandaiyadaa} (2)
Kallaana dheivangal kaanaama ninnaachchu
Ellorum koyil katti inga ippo ennaachchu
Thannaala purinjikittu ellaarum thirunthanum
Illaatti nadanthathukku pinnaala varunthanum
Anjuvathenna kenjuvathenna
Punniyamilla hae….hae….hae…..
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
Namma naattula nadu roadula
Namma naattula roadula veettula kaattula
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
Ponnaana bharatham
Puththi kettu pochchudaa
Sonnaanae bharathi
Sonnathenna aachchudaa
Ellaarum innaattu
Mannan illa mannan illa….
Ellaarumae thirudaingathaan
Solla ponaa kurudaingaithaan
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
In our country, right in the middle of the street,
In our country, in the streets, in homes, and in the wild!
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
This golden land of Bharat,
has completely lost its senses!
Poet Bharati once proclaimed something,
what became of the words he spoke?
"Everyone in this country..."
"...is not a king, no king at all!"
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
They put up a tent and set up a stage,
drape a cloth over their shoulder,
beg us to cast our votes,
and change their true colours once the vote is cast!
It is all just a disguise and empty slogans,
fraud is everywhere, and the nation is suffering!
Why should we live as cowards every day?
Innocent people must turn red with rage!
Not a single soul here is a sage,
nor is anyone a Buddha, hey hey hey...
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
Just look at how many gods there are, my friend,
and we fight saying my religion is better than yours!
Look at how many castes there are, my friend,
clashing and bashing each other's heads over them!
The stone idols just stand by silently,
what good came of everyone building temples here?
People must understand on their own and reform,
otherwise, they will only regret it later!
What is the use of living in fear and pleading?
There is no good in doing so, hey hey hey...
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
In our country, right in the middle of the street,
In our country, in the streets, in homes, and in the wild!
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
This golden land of Bharat,
has completely lost its senses!
Poet Bharati once proclaimed something,
what became of the words he spoke?
"Everyone in this country..."
"...is not a king, no king at all!"
Everyone here is just a thief!
To tell the truth, they are all blind!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

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