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Lyrics & meaning

Kaadhal Sadugudu

From Madraskaaran · 2024

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Adithya RK
Music director
Nandhagopan V
Movie name
Madraskaaran
Movie release year
2024
Lyrics added on
11 Nov 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Kaadhal sadugudugudu
Kannae thodu thodu} (4)
Alaiyae sitralaiyae
Karai vandhu vandhu pogum alaiyae
Ennai thoduvaai medhuvaai padarvaai endraal
Nuraiyaai karaiyum alaiyae
Tholaivil paarthaal aamaam engindraai
Arugil vandhaal illai endraai
{Nagila nagila nagilaa oh oh oh
Vilagidaathu nagilaa oh oh} (2)
Kaadhal sadugudugudu
Kannae thodu thodu
Neerattum nerathil en annaiyagindraai
Vaalaattum nerathil en pillaiyagindraai
Naanaaga thottaalo mullaagi pogindraai
Neeyaaga thottaalo poovaga aagindraai
En kanneer en thanneer
Ellamae nee anbae
En inbam en thunbam
Ellamae nee anbae
En vaazhvum en saavum
Un kannin asaivilae
{Nagila nagila nagilaa oh oh oh
Vilagidaathu nagilaa oh oh} (2)
Pazhagumpozhudhu kumariyaagi
Ennai velvaai pennae
Padukai araiyil kuzhandhaiyaagi
Ennai kolvaai kannae
{Kaadhal sadugudugudu
Kannae thodu thodu} (2)
Love plays a game of kabaddi,
My darling, touch me, touch me!
O wave, sweet little wave,
O wave that keeps washing over the shore,
If I ask you to touch me and gently spread over me,
You just dissolve into sea foam, O wave!
When I look from a distance, you say yes,
When I come close, you say no.
Nagila, Nagila, Nagila, oh oh oh,
Do not pull away, Nagila, oh oh!
Love plays a game of kabaddi,
My darling, touch me, touch me!
When you bathe and care for me, you become my mother,
When you play and tease, you become my child,
If I reach out to touch you, you turn into a thorn,
If you touch me on your own, you bloom like a flower.
My tears and the water that sustains me,
You are everything to me, my love.
My joy and my sorrow,
You are everything to me, my love.
My life and my death
Rest in the flutter of your eyes.
Nagila, Nagila, Nagila, oh oh oh,
Do not pull away, Nagila, oh oh!
In everyday life, you act grown and wise
And win me over completely, my girl;
In the bedroom, you become as innocent as a child
And kill me with your charm, my darling!
Love plays a game of kabaddi,
My darling, touch me, touch me!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Love Sadugudugudu captures the playful, elusive, and tender dynamics of romantic affection. The song compares love to the traditional game of kabaddi (sadugudugudu), where lovers tag, retreat, and pursue each other in an affectionate chase. The protagonist addresses his beloved as a gentle ocean wave that approaches the shore only to dissolve into foam whenever he tries to draw close, capturing her coy and shy nature. He reflects on how seamlessly she changes roles—acting as a comforting mother, a mischievous child, a defensive thorn when pursued, and a soft flower when initiating love. Ultimately, the song expresses total surrender, declaring that all joy, sorrow, life, and death rest entirely within a single glance of his beloved.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Kaadhal sadugudugudu”

Compares love to the traditional tag game 'Sadugudugudu' (Kabaddi), representing the playful push-and-pull dynamic between lovers.

Nature Imagery & Extended Metaphor

“Alaiyae sitralaiyae / Karai vandhu vandhu pogum alaiyae”

Compares the shy retreat of the beloved to sea waves approaching the shore and dissolving into foam.

Adukkuthodar (Repetition)

“Karai vandhu vandhu pogum alaiyae”

The word 'vandhu' is repeated sequentially to mimic the rhythmic, continuous rhythm of ocean waves hitting the shore.

Antithesis (Muran)

“Naanaaga thottaalo mullaagi pogindraai / Neeyaaga thottaalo poovaga aagindraai”

Uses contrasting pairs (mother/child, thorn/flower, tears/water, pleasure/sorrow, life/death) to portray the multifaceted, paradoxical nature of the beloved.

Did you know?

Trivia

These iconic lyrics were originally penned by Vairamuthu for the classic song 'Kaadhal Sadugudugudu' from Mani Ratnam's film Alaipayuthey (2000), composed by A.R. Rahman, and have been referenced/adapted in Madraskaaran (2024).

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