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Aan Paavam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Indiran Vanthathum

From Aan Paavam · 1985

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Ilayaraja, Chorus
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Aan Paavam
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
25 Feb 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Hae vandhanam vandhanam
Chorus :Vandhanam vandhanam
Male :Vandha sanamellaam
Chorus :Kundhanum kundhanum
Indhiran vandhadhum
Chandhiran vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ingae M G R vandhadhum
N T R vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Indhiran vandhadhum
Chandhiran vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ingae M G R vandhadhum
N T R vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Katchi valathadhum
Aatchi pudichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ada americavula aatchi amaichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Katchi valathadhum
Aatchi pudichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ada americavula aatchi amaichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Kailaasa naadhana
Murugana kannaala
Paakka thaan mudiyumaa kooru
Ambathanju kaasu nee
Kuduthuttaa thannaala
Kadavula paakkalaam paaru
Kaathavaraayan
Chorus :madhura veeran
Male :Theraiyila thaanae
Chorus :Purinjiruchu
Male :Gandhiya kooda
Padathula thaanae
Innikku dhesam
Chorus :Therinjirukku
Ada pasi thookkam parandhaachu
Pazhasellaam marandhaachu
Kottaga valandha piragu
Naattula kutham koranjirukku
Ada kottaga valandha piragu
Naattula kutham koranjirukku
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Ethanaiyo maedhainga
Nyaaninga veeranga
Velli thirai thandhadhu ingae
Harichandhiran naadagam
Paathu thaan gandhiyum
Sathiyatha nambinaal angae
Kisukisu
Chorus :Pottu
Male :Kelvi badhil
Chorus :Pottu
Male :Pathirtikka vandhaa
Chorus :Laabamunga
Vaazhkkaikku
Chorus :Ingae
Male :Vadikaal
Chorus :Venum
Male :Cinema onnae
Chorus :Podhumunga
Ada pagalellaam ozhacheenga
Iravellaam siricheenga
Velli thiraiyila thangam velanjadhu
Enga cinema thaan
Ada velli thiraiyila
Thangam velanjadhu
Enga cinema thaan
Hae indhiran vandhadhum
Chandhiran vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ingae M G R vandhadhum
N T R vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Hae indhiran vandhadhum
Chandhiran vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ingae M G R vandhadhum
N T R vandhadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Kalai valandhadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Male :Kaadhal sonnadhum
Chorus :Ingae thaan
Katchi valathadhum
Aatchi pudichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ada americavula aatchi amaichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Katchi valathadhum
Aatchi pudichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Ada americavula aatchi amaichadhum
Indha cinema thaan
Hey, welcome, welcome!
Welcome, welcome!
All the people who have gathered,
Must sit down, sit down!
The one that brought Lord Indra,
And brought the Moon God down,
Is this very cinema!
The one that gave us MGR,
And gave us NTR,
Is this very cinema!
The one that brought Lord Indra,
And brought the Moon God down,
Is this very cinema!
The one that gave us MGR,
And gave us NTR,
Is this very cinema!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
Building political parties,
And capturing power,
Is this very cinema!
Even forming a government in America,
Is this very cinema!
Building political parties,
And capturing power,
Is this very cinema!
Even forming a government in America,
Is this very cinema!
Lord Shiva of Kailash,
And Lord Murugan, with your own eyes,
Tell me, can you really see them?
If you just pay,
Fifty-five paise for a ticket,
Look, you can see God Himself!
Kathavarayan (folk deity),
And Madurai Veeran (legendary warrior),
Was it not on the screen
That we understood them?
Even Mahatma Gandhi,
Isn't it through films
That the nation today
Knows who he was?
Hunger and sleep flew away,
Old worries were all forgotten,
Ever since touring cinema tents sprang up,
Crime in the country has gone down!
Ever since touring cinema tents sprang up,
Crime in the country has gone down!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
So many brilliant minds,
Wise sages and brave heroes,
The silver screen has given us here!
Watching the play of Harishchandra,
Even Mahatma Gandhi
Came to believe in truth back then!
With film gossip
Printed inside,
And question-and-answer columns
Printed alongside,
If a magazine comes out,
It brings huge profits!
For our lives
Right here,
An outlet for relief
Is needed,
And cinema alone
Is more than enough!
You worked hard all through the day,
And laughed with joy all through the night,
Yielding pure gold from the silver screen,
Is our cinema!
Ah, on the silver screen,
Yielding pure gold,
Is our cinema!
Hey, the one that brought Lord Indra,
And brought the Moon God down,
Is this very cinema!
The one that gave us MGR,
And gave us NTR,
Is this very cinema!
Hey, the one that brought Lord Indra,
And brought the Moon God down,
Is this very cinema!
The one that gave us MGR,
And gave us NTR,
Is this very cinema!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
The place where art grew,
Is right here!
The place where love was spoken,
Is right here!
Building political parties,
And capturing power,
Is this very cinema!
Even forming a government in America,
Is this very cinema!
Building political parties,
And capturing power,
Is this very cinema!
Even forming a government in America,
Is this very cinema!
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Vandhanam Vandhanam' from the 1985 film Aan Paavam is a lively, meta-tribute to the power and cultural impact of cinema in society. Sung in a street-play (Therukoothu/folk) narrative style, the song celebrates cinema as an all-encompassing medium that brings gods to the common man for a few paise, shapes political destinies (referencing figures like MGR, NTR, and Ronald Reagan), and serves as an emotional escape for working-class people after a long day of labor. The song highlights how movies educate, entertain, and unite people across all walks of life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhyme (Edugai / Monai)

Indhiran vandhadhum / Chandhiran vandhadhum

The song heavily utilizes traditional Tamil rhyming patterns, such as 'Indhiran / Chandhiran' and 'Vandhanam / Kundhanum', creating a bouncy folk rhythm suitable for street performance.

Hyperbole (Uruvagaimai / Adukku)

Ada kottaga valandha piragu / Naattula kutham koranjirukku

Exaggerating the impact of cinema by stating that crime decreased in the country and leaders took power worldwide solely because cinema halls grew.

Allusion

Ingae M G R vandhadhum / N T R vandhadhum

Direct references to historical, political, and mythological icons like M. G. Ramachandran, N. T. Rama Rao, Ronald Reagan (America), Mahatma Gandhi, and Harishchandra to emphasize cinema's social influence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu, this song opens Pandiarajan's hit comedy film 'Aan Paavam'. It serves as a tribute to cinema itself, picturized as a touring drama troupe performance announcing the movie's beginning.

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