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Manal Kayiru album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Ettu Vidha Kattalaigal

From Manal Kayiru · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Manal Kayiru
Movie release year
1982
Lyrics added on
2 Nov 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Pondati amainja
Boomiyil irukkanum
Illati edhukadaa uyiru
Ada modi masthaan
Kudumbathil naan ponnai
Eduthathu thavaru
Ada arivukettavanae
Idha terinjikka ivalavu late-ah
Pondati amainja
Boomiyil irukkanum
Illati edhukadaa uyiru
Ada motti masthaan
Kudumbathil naan ponnai
Eduthathu thavaru
Oru thuli vishama
Oru mozha kayiraa
Oru thuli vishama
Oru mozha kayiraa
Perundhu vaaganamaa
Indha moonula onnu
Manasula yennu
Uyir enna katti vellama
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Chicken kuruma
Mutton kaima
Aaka teriyadha manaivi
Ava samaicha enna
Samanja enna
Avalaa vazhkai thunaivi
Odum raiyilae
Pandiyan mailae
Odum raiyilae
Pandiyan mailae
Odanae vaa en udal melae
Ada ella payalum onna sernthu
Mozhagaa araichaan thalai mela
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ponaal pogattum poda
Endru paalum pazhamum paarthirukku
Ada yaarai nambi naan porandhen
Endru kelviyai manasu kettirukku
Indha maaligai
Vasandha maaligai
Indha maaligai
Vasandha maaligai
Yaarukaaga sollendaa
Yaarukaagaaa..aaahaahhaa
Ippo keluda mundam
Nee kalyanam panni kittadhae thandam
Indha maaligai
Vasandha maaligai
Yaarukaaga sollendaa
Ada kudithavar manamae
Thuyaram kollathu
Devadasai pol nillendaa
Devadasai pol nillendaa…
Huhhh…hhahaha
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Hahahahaha
Hahahhaahahah…
Ettu vidha kattalaigal
Ittu oru laabamillai
Kittumani pola oru
Makkumani yaarum illai
Yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Ada yaar thaan en pol
Yemaandha sonagiri
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Only if you get the right wife,
is it worth living on this earth.
Otherwise, why even stay alive?
Hey, marrying a girl
from a family of tricksters
was my biggest mistake.
Hey, you brainless fool,
did it take you this long to realize it?
Only if you get the right wife,
is it worth living on this earth.
Otherwise, why even stay alive?
Hey, marrying a girl
from a family of tricksters
was my biggest mistake.
A drop of poison?
A length of rope?
A drop of poison?
A length of rope?
Or a speeding bus?
Pick one of these three,
make up your mind.
Is life as sweet as a block of jaggery to cling to?
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Chicken kurma,
mutton keema—
a wife who doesn't even know how to cook them!
What does it matter if she cooks,
or what does it matter if she grew up?
Is she even a life partner?
O running train,
O Pandian Express,
O running train,
O Pandian Express,
come right now and run over my body!
Hey, all those scoundrels teamed up
and ground chillies on my head!
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
'Let it go if it goes, man...'
I have heard that in the film Paalum Pazhamum.
'Trusting whom was I born into this world?'
My own heart has asked that very question.
This mansion,
this palace of spring,
this mansion,
this palace of spring,
tell me, who is it really for?
For whom? Aha-ha-ha...
Now listen here, you blockhead,
getting married itself was a total waste!
This mansion,
this palace of spring,
tell me, who is it really for?
A drunkard's heart
will never feel sorrow,
so stand tall like Devadas, man!
Stand tall like Devadas, man...
Huh... hahaha...
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hahahaha
Hahahaha...
Eight strict conditions,
laying them down brought no use at all.
Like this Kittumani,
there is no bigger fool in the world.
Who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Hey, who else is there
such a duped fool like me?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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.

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