- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Movie name
- Shankar Guru
- Movie release year
- 1987
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Jan 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This playful and romantic duet revolves around a lover asking their partner what they think about them across various intimate, everyday moments—like bathing in the river, hiding in coconut groves, or longing during quiet nights. The partner teasingly claims, 'I don't think anything about you at all!', but proceeds to describe symptoms of overwhelming romantic devotion, such as sleeplessness, losing track of time, getting distracted while tying flowers, and stammering when trying to speak. Written with characteristic charm by lyricist Vairamuthu, the song captures the innocent irony of young love where denial is used as a poetic facade to express deep, uncontrollable affection and sweet obsession.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (Rhyming Endings)
“Aathu neeril kulikkumpodhum / Ayira meenu kadikkumpodhum / Thaedi vandhu sirikkumpodhum / Thennandhoppil oliyumpodhum”
The repetitive ending suffix '-podhum' ('when...') across four consecutive lines creates a rhythmic, flowing musical cadence.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Kannu rendum thudikkum varaikkum / Kannam konjam sivakkum varaikkum...”
The repetition of the phrase 'varaikkum' ('until...') at the end of successive lines reinforces the growing intensity of emotional physical responses.
Irony / Muran (Antithesis)
“Unna paththi naan onnum nenaikkalae”
The singer repeatedly claims not to think about their partner at all, while simultaneously describing elaborate personal sacrifices and romantic distractions caused by thinking of them.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Purattugindraen puthagathil”
The repetition of the initial 'Pu-' sound ('Purattugindraen', 'puthagathil') enhances the poetic texture of the line.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1987 Tamil film 'Shankar Guru', starring Arjun Sarja and Seetha. The soundtrack for the film was composed by Chandrabose, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song is well-remembered for its catchy folk-pop rhythm and playful conversational dynamic.
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