- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- Ghantasala
- Music director
- Pendyala Nageswara Rao
- Movie name
- Mamiyarum Oru Veettu Marumagale
- Movie release year
- 1961
- Lyrics added on
- 26 Sept 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This energetic and satirical track from 'Mamiyarum Oru Veettu Marumagale' (1961) serves as a sharp, playful direct warning to an arrogant, domineering woman who misuses her husband's position as an officer. The protagonist uses bold metaphors of firearms, atomic bombs, and traditional Tamil adages to remind her that excessive pride and authoritarian behavior will ultimately lead to her public downfall.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second-letter rhyme)
“Nalla maadu endraal / Oru soodu podhumae”
The second consonant 'du' (டூ) rhymes in 'maadu' and 'soodu', creating a rhythmic flow.
Metaphor
“Un mandaikanam unakkae anugundu”
Directly compares the character's ego/stubbornness (mandaikanam) to an atomic bomb (anugundu) that will destroy her own standing.
Proverb Inclusion (Pazhamozhi)
“Vaayum nallathaanalae oorum nalladhu”
Incorporate the traditional Tamil proverb 'Vaai nalla irundhaal ooru nalladhu' (If your speech is polite, the community treats you well).
Idiomatic Expression
“Un saayam velukka podhum indha kadudhasi”
The phrase 'Saayam velukka' (dye fading) is a Tamil idiom meaning 'to expose someone's true colors'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao, a prominent Telugu film music maestro who brought dramatic brass and upbeat rhythms to this 1961 Tamil film directed by K. B. Nagabhushanam. Renowned playback singer Ghantasala delivers the song with rich vocal expressions, combining theatrical spoken ad-libs ('padaar', 'hahaha', 'adhaane') with lyricist A. Maruthakasi's punchy blend of classical idioms and modern post-independence English loanwords like 'revolver', 'officer', and 'close'.
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