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Lyrics & meaning

Enge Poveno Nee

From Angadi Theru · 2010

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singers
Benny Dayal, MK Balaji, Janaki Iyer
Music director
Vijay Antony
Details
Angadi Theru2010

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Nee ennai neengivittaiYou have left me.
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
En idhaiyathai vaangivittaiYou took my heart away.
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
En kannai keerivittaiYou wounded my eyes.
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Ennai vaarthaiyil kondruvittaiYou killed me with your words.
Male
Koondukkul irrukumTrapped inside a cage,
Paravai naanI am a bird.
En kannilae oru thundu vaanamIn my eyes, the tiny slice of sky
Neethaanadi..Is you, my girl...
Male
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Nee ennai neengivittaiYou have left me.
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Ennai vaarthaiyil kondruvittaiYou killed me with your words.
Female
Aaaa…..aaaa….aa…..aaa…Ah... ah... ah... ah...
Male
Theerathu vaanin valiPain of the endless sky,
Ethirkaatril pogum kiliA bird flying against headwinds,
Irai thedi vaadum valiSuffering in search of food,
Koodendru kaatum vidhiDestiny pointing to a nest,
Male
PanthaaduthaeTossing me about like a ball.
Ennai vaalthalin nyayangalAre there reasons for me to live?
Sambaathithae theerumoo jenmamWill this life ever find fulfillment?
Male
Kolaipola kaadhalLove is like a murder;
Pengal veesidum vaarthaiyumThe words that women throw around,
Valigindrathae thukkamthaan..Only pain and sorrow remain...
Male
Nee ennai neengivittalIf you leave me,
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Ennai vaarthaiyil kondruvittai..You killed me with your words...
Male
Deivangal ingae illaiGods do not exist here,
Irrunthaalum irrakkam illaiEven if they do, they have no mercy.
Kazhuthodu kallai kattiTying a heavy stone around my neck,
Kadalodu pottal ennaiAnd throwing me into the deep sea,
Male
Maranathai thaanaIs it my death alone
Indha kaadhalum ketkuthuThat this love demands?
Poi veshamae ullathae engumEverywhere there are false guises,
Male
Illamai thaana inguIs it poverty and youth here
Kaadhalai maaipathuThat destroy love?
En soolnilai kolluthae….ae…My helpless situation is killing me...
Male
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Nee ennai neengivittaiYou have left me.
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Ennai vaarthaiyil kondruvittaiYou killed me with your words.
Male
Koondukkul irrukumTrapped inside a cage,
Paravai naanI am a bird.
En kannilae oru thundu vaanamIn my eyes, the tiny slice of sky
Neethaanadi..Is you, my girl...
Male
Engae povenoWhere will I go?
Ennai vaarthaiyil kondruvittaiYou killed me with your words.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Engae Poveno' expresses the deep anguish, helplessness, and grief of a heartbroken lover who feels abandoned and destroyed by harsh words. He compares his plight to a caged bird yearning for a small slice of freedom and hope, represented by his beloved. In the context of the movie 'Angadi Theru', it reflects the harsh social realities, poverty, and systemic oppression that crush the innocent romantic dreams of young working-class individuals. As the song progresses, the protagonist questions the harshness of fate, the cruelty of society, and the absence of divine mercy. He feels cast into the sea with a stone around his neck, wondering if death is the only escape from his current plight. Through haunting metaphors, the lyrics depict love not as a comfort, but as an agonizing burden that exacerbates his suffering.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Koondukkul irrukum Paravai naan

The speaker directly compares himself to a bird trapped inside a cage, symbolizing his restriction and helplessness.

Metaphor

En kannilae oru thundu vaanam Neethaanadi

The beloved is metaphorically described as a 'slice of sky' visible to a caged bird, representing his only hope and sight of freedom.

Simile

Kolaipola kaadhal

Love is directly compared to murder using the comparative marker 'pola', emphasizing the destructive pain it inflicts.

Monai (Alliteration)

Deivangal ingae illai / Irrunthaalum irrakkam illai

Repetition of initial or internal vowel sounds ('I' in Irrunthaalum and irrakkam) to create rhythmic weight.

Hyperbole

Kazhuthodu kallai katti Kadalodu pottal ennai

An exaggerated imagery of being tied to a stone and thrown into the sea to highlight the crushing weight of emotional distress.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although G. V. Prakash Kumar composed the overall soundtrack for Angadi Theru (2010), this particular emotional track 'Engae Poveno' was composed by guest composer Vijay Antony, who also sang it alongside Benny Dayal and MK Balaji. The lyricist Na. Muthu Kumar won immense critical acclaim for capturing the raw despair of impoverished textile shop workers in Chennai.

Keep listening

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