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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ettu Vidha Kattalaigal

From Manal Kayiru · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Manal Kayiru1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Male
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Male
Pondati amainjaA wife, if one gets her,
Boomiyil irukkanumshould be good on this earth.
Illati edhukadaa uyiruOtherwise, why bother living, man?
Ada modi masthaanMarrying a woman from
Kudumbathil naan ponnaia trickster's family
Eduthathu thavaruwas my huge mistake.
Male
Ada arivukettavanaeHey you foolish man,
Idha terinjikka ivalavu late-ahdid it take you this long to realize this?
Male
Pondati amainjaA wife, if one gets her,
Boomiyil irukkanumshould be good on this earth.
Illati edhukadaa uyiruOtherwise, why bother living, man?
Ada motti masthaanMarrying a woman from
Kudumbathil naan ponnaia trickster's family
Eduthathu thavaruwas my huge mistake.
Male
Oru thuli vishamaA drop of poison?
Oru mozha kayiraaA yard-long rope?
Oru thuli vishamaA drop of poison?
Oru mozha kayiraaA yard-long rope?
Perundhu vaaganamaaOr a heavy bus vehicle?
Indha moonula onnuAmong these three,
Manasula yennuchoose one in your mind.
Uyir enna katti vellamaIs life just a piece of jaggery to lose so easily?
Male
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Male
Chicken kurumaChicken kurma,
Mutton kaimamutton kaima,
Aaka teriyadha manaivia wife who doesn't know how to cook them!
Ava samaicha ennaWhat if she cooks,
Samanja ennaor what if she comes of age?
Avalaa vazhkai thunaiviIs she really a life partner?
Male
Odum raiyilaeO running train,
Pandiyan mailaePandian Express Mail!
Odum raiyilaeO running train,
Pandiyan mailaePandian Express Mail!
Odanae vaa en udal melaeCome right now over my body!
Ada ella payalum onna sernthuHey, all those guys joined together
Mozhagaa araichaan thalai melaand ground chilies over my head!
Male
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Male
Ponaal pogattum poda'Let it go if it goes',
Endru paalum pazhamum paarthirukku'Milk and Fruit' has been watched!
Ada yaarai nambi naan porandhen'Trusting whom was I born?'
Endru kelviyai manasu kettirukku- my heart has asked this question.
Male
Indha maaligaiThis mansion,
Vasandha maaligaithis 'Vasantha Maaligai',
Indha maaligaiThis mansion,
Vasandha maaligaithis 'Vasantha Maaligai',
Yaarukaaga sollendaatell me, for whom is it meant?
Yaarukaagaaa..aaahaahhaaFor whom is it... ahaha!
Male
Ippo keluda mundamNow listen, you blockhead!
Nee kalyanam panni kittadhae thandamGetting married itself was a total waste!
Male
Indha maaligaiThis mansion,
Vasandha maaligaithis 'Vasantha Maaligai',
Yaarukaaga sollendaatell me, for whom is it meant?
Ada kudithavar manamaeOh, the mind of a drunkard
Thuyaram kollathuknows no sorrow!
Devadasai pol nillendaaStand tall like Devadas!
Devadasai pol nillendaa…Stand tall like Devadas!
Huhhh…hhahahaHuhhh... hhahaha
Male
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Male
HahahahahaHahahahaha
Hahahhaahahah…Hahahhaahahah...
Ettu vidha kattalaigalSetting eight conditions
Ittu oru laabamillaiyielded no benefit at all.
Kittumani pola oruThere is no foolish person
Makkumani yaarum illailike this Kittumani anywhere.
Yaar thaan en polWho else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?
Ada yaar thaan en polOh, who else is as much of a
Yemaandha sonagiriduped fool as I am?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a iconic comedic 'drunk lamentation' from the movie 'Manal Kayiru' (1982). The protagonist, Kittumani (played by S. Ve. Shekher), famous for setting eight strict conditions to choose his bride, realizes he has been completely duped into marrying a woman who satisfies none of those conditions. In a state of drunken despair and self-pity, he berates himself for his stupidity and vents his frustration over his wife's lack of culinary skills and deceitful background. Written with clever humor by lyricist Vaali, the song weaves in popular Tamil cinema tropes, idioms, and references to famous old movie titles and songs—such as 'Paalum Pazhamum', 'Vasantha Maaligai', and 'Devadas'. Kittumani dramatically ponders various humorous ways to end his misery while mocking his own plight, making this track a celebrated comedic tragedy in Tamil film music history.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kittumani pola oru / Makkumani yaarum illai

The second letter 'tta' (ட்) in 'Kittumani' rhymes with 'kka' (க்) in 'Makkumani' across successive lines.

Cultural Idiom / Metaphor

Mozhagaa araichaan thalai mela

Literally translating to 'ground chili on my head', this Tamil idiom means to thoroughly fool, betray, or trick someone.

Intertextuality / Cinema Allusion

Ponaal pogattum poda / Endru paalum pazhamum paarthirukku

The lyricist directly references famous classic Sivaji Ganesan songs ('Ponaal Pogattum Poda') and movie titles ('Paalum Pazhamum', 'Vasantha Maaligai', 'Devadas') to satirize tragic cinema tropes.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Chicken kuruma / Mutton kaima

The ending sounds of 'kuruma' and 'kaima' rhyme, establishing a rhythmic comedic cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Manal Kayiru' (1982) was directed by Visu, who also played the pivotal character 'Naradar Naidu' responsible for tricking the protagonist Kittumani (S. Ve. Shekher) into marriage. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and this song was sung by Malaysia Vasudevan along with S. Ve. Shekher himself doing spoken comedic interludes.

Keep listening

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