- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singer
- Ananya Bhat
- Music director
- Dhibu Ninan Thomas
- Movie name
- Nenjuku Needhi
- Movie release year
- 2022
- Lyrics added on
- 11 Apr 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song serves as a poignant, sorrowful lament against caste discrimination, systemic oppression, and social injustice. The narrator addresses the Divine directly, questioning why society divides humanity into 'high' and 'low' castes when everyone is created equal. Despite constant prayers and traditional rituals, relief remains elusive for the oppressed, who are treated as untouchable and left to drown in their tears.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Thembuthae boomi”
The earth ('boomi') is personified as sobbing ('thembuthae') in grief over human cruelty and inequality.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Yedhedho thadangalae / Engaeyum edanjalae”
The second consonant sound 'da' (ட) in 'thadangalae' and 'edanjalae' creates a rhythmic Tamil poetic rhyme.
Monai (Initial Consonant Alliteration)
“Kanneeril muzhginaalum / Kaathidamal paarpatho”
The repetition of the 'Ka' sound at the beginning of 'Kanneeril' and 'Kaathidamal' forms a traditional Monai.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Thee kooda theetachae”
Describing fire (traditionally considered a symbol of absolute purity) as being polluted/untouchable emphasizes the extreme, irrational nature of caste prejudice.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Nenjuku Needhi' (2022) is the official Tamil remake of the acclaimed Hindi film 'Article 15' (2019), directed by Arunraja Kamaraj and starring Udhayanidhi Stalin. Composer Dhibu Ninan Thomas and lyricist Yugabharathi collaborated closely to capture the socio-political theme of constitutional rights and caste equality. Vocalist Ananya Bhat's rustic and soulful rendering highlights the raw anguish embedded in the narrative.
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