- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Enna Muthalali Sowkkiyama
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Aug 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Enna Muthalali Sowkkiyamaa is a poignant critique of capitalist exploitation and the suffering of the working class. Sung from the perspective of a laboring woman addressing a wealthy factory owner or master, the song sarcastically inquires about his well-being alongside his prized iron safe box. It contrasts his material greed with the severe human cost paid by the workers whose lives he plays with as a game.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony and Sarcasm
“Ungal irumbu pettiyum sowkkiyamaa”
Asking about the health of an 'iron safe' alongside the boss's health mockingly equates his human empathy with cold metal and greed.
Assonance and Internal Rhyme
“Kallallla mannalla kannattra silaiyalla”
The rhythmic repetition of the suffix '-alla' (Kallalla, mannalla, silaiyalla) creates a sharp, memorable cadence asserting the worker's humanity.
Rhetorical Question
“Neraaga varumpothu ennaagum”
The speaker poses a dramatic question about moral consequence to provoke fear and self-reflection in the oppressor.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by M. S. Vishwanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan, this song stands out in Tamil film music as a powerful socio-political dialogue directly confronting class divide and labor exploitation through P. Susheela's expressive vocals.
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