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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Nanbane

From Mankatha · 2011

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Yuvan Shankar Raja, Madhushree
Music director
Yuvan Shankar Raja
Details
Mankatha2011

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
………………………………
Female
En nanbanaeOh my friend
Ennai eithaai ohYou betrayed me
En paavamaaiAs my fate
Vanthu vaaithaaiYou came and settled
Female
Un polavaeJust like you
Nalla nadigan ohA fine actor
Oor engilumIn the whole world
Illai oruvanThere is no one
Female
Nallavargal yaaroWho is good
Theeyavargal yaaroWho is bad
Kandukondu kanni yaarumWithout knowing this, no young woman
Kaadhal seivathillayaeFalls in love
Female
Gangai nathiyellamThat all Ganges rivers
Kaanal nathi endruAre mere mirage rivers
Pirpaadu gnyanam vanthuGaining wisdom afterwards
Laabam ennavoWhat is the gain?
Male
Kaadhal enbathuLove is
Kanavu maaligaiA palace of dreams
Purinthu kolladiUnderstand this, girl
En thozhiyaeMy friend
Male
Unmai kaadhalaiFor true love
Naan thedi paarkirenI keep searching
Kaanavillaiyae en thozhiyaeI cannot find it, my friend
Female
Valakaiyai pidithuHolding the right hand
Valakaiyil vizhunthenI fell into the trap
Valakaram pidithuHolding hands
Valam vara ninaithenI wished to walk around the sacred fire
Female
Uravenum kavidhaiA poem named relationship
Uyirinil varainthenI painted in my soul
Ezhuthiya kavidhai yenWhy did the poem I wrote
Mudhal vari mudhalFrom the very first line
Muzhuvathum pizhaiTurn out entirely wrong?
Female
Vizhigalin valiThrough the pain of eyes
Vizhunthadhu mazhaiRain (tears) poured down
Ellam unnaal thaanIt is all because of you
Female
Idhuva undhan gnyangalIs this your justice?
Enaken indha kaayangalWhy these wounds for me?
Kizhithaai oru kaadhal oviyam oh …You tore up a painting of love
Female
Murugan mugam aaru thaanLord Murugan has six faces
Manithan mugam nooru thaanA human has a hundred faces
Ovvondrum veru veru niramoIs each face a different color?
En nanbanae ennai eithaaiOh my friend, you shot me down
Male
Kaadhal vellumaWill love win?
Kaadhal thorkumaWill love lose?
Yaarum arinthathillayaeNo one really knows
En thozhiyaeMy friend
Male
Kaadhal oviyamThe painting of love
Kizhinthu ponathaHas it been torn apart?
Kavalai yenadiWhy worry, my friend?
Idhuvum kadanthidumThis too shall pass
Female
Adikadi enai neeThat you frequently
Anaithathai arivenEmbraced me, I know
Anbenum vilakaiThat you extinguished
Anaithadhu ariyenThe lamp of love, I did not know
Female
Puyal vanthu saaithaFelled by a storm
Maram oru viraguA tree becomes mere firewood
Unakena theriyumYou know that well
Female
En idhayathil vanthuStriking into my heart
Vizhunthadhu idiA thunderbolt fell
Ela manam engumAcross my tender heart
Irunthadhu valiThere was immense pain
Yamma yammaOh my, oh my
Female
Ulagil ulla pengalaeO women of the world
Uraipen oru ponmozhiI shall share a golden truth
Kaadhal oru kanavu maaligai oh ohLove is a palace of dreams
Female
Ethuvum angu maayam thaanEverything there is pure illusion
Ellam varnajaalam thaanEverything is a magical deception of colors
Nambamal vaazhvathendrum nalamaeIt is always best to live without believing it
Male
Kaadhal enbathuLove is
Kanavu maaligaiA palace of dreams
Purinthu kolladiUnderstand this, girl
En thozhiyaeMy friend
Male
Unmai kaadhalaiFor true love
Naan thedi paarkirenI keep searching
Kaanavillaiyae en thozhiyaeI cannot find it, my friend
Female
………………………………………….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Nanbane' from Mankatha expresses deep grief, pain, and disillusionment following a painful romantic betrayal. The female narrator laments how a trusted partner turned out to be a deceptive actor with multiple hidden faces, destroying her innocent dreams of marriage and lifelong togetherness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Kaadhal enbathu Kanavu maaligai

Compares love to a palace built of fragile dreams ('Kanavu maaligai') and a painting that can be torn ('Kaadhal oviyam').

Contrast / Hyperbole

Murugan mugam aaru thaan Manithan mugam nooru thaan

Contrasts divine multi-faced mythology (Lord Murugan's six faces) with human deceitfulness (a hundred faces).

Pun / Double Entendre (Sledai)

Anaithathai ariven / Anaithadhu ariyen

Plays on the dual meanings of 'Anaithal' (embracing someone affectionately vs. extinguishing a lamp/flame).

Imagery / Analogy

Gangai nathiyellam Kaanal nathi endru

Compares deceptive love to a mirage river pretending to be the holy Ganges.

Did you know?

Trivia

Though listed as unknown in the prompt context, this hit track 'Nanbane' from Mankatha (2011) was composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja and sung by Madhushree along with Yuvan Shankar Raja, featuring lyrics penned by legendary poet Vaali.

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