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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaalai Kaalai

From Manithan · 1987

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. P. Sailaja
Music director
Chandrabose
Details
Manithan1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
{Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thana nana naa…(Rhythmic vocal melody…)
Female
Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thanththana thanaththa thana(Rhythmic vocal melody)
Thana nana naa…} (2)(Rhythmic vocal melody…)
Female
Kaalai kaalaiBull, bull
Claps :…………….[Claps]
Female :Murattu kaalaiFemale: Wild bull
Claps :…………….[Claps]
Female
Murattu kaalai nee thaanaAre you the wild bull?
Pokkiri raaja nee thaanaAre you the rogue king?
Paaiyum puliyum nee thaanaAre you the pouncing tiger?
Payandhu povadhu sari thaanaIs it right for you to be afraid?
Vaazhvomae onnodu onnaaLet us live united as one
Vaalibam yengudhu endhiri kannaaYouth is longing, wake up my dear
Male
Kaalai kaalai… murattu kaalaiBull, bull… wild bull
Murattu kaalai naanthaandiI am the wild bull, girl
Pokkiri raajaa naanthaandiPokkiri Raaja (rogue king) am I, girl
Paaiyum puliyum naanthaandiI am the pouncing tiger, girl
Payandhu poga maattendiI will not be afraid, girl
Naadellaam en pera sollumThe whole land speaks my name
Nallavanukku nallavandhandiI am good to those who are good, girl
Female
Ull kaaichchal yeralaiyaaHas an inner fever not arisen?
Un ullam maralaiyaaHas your heart not relented?
Pandhikku azhaiththenaeI invited you to a feast
Pasi illaiyaaAre you not hungry?
Male
Nejamaaththaan yenghuriyaaAre you truly yearning?
Nee enna pombalaiyaa…hoiAre you a woman or what... hei!
Yennai vittaa unakkedhumBesides me, do you have
Vazhi illaiyaaNo other way?
Female
Ada mamaa…azhalaamaaOh uncle... should you cry?
Naan thaali kattattaaShall I tie the sacred thread around you?
Male :Adi maanae…thimirthaanaeMale: Hey deer-like girl... what arrogance!
Un kottam adakkida kattravan naanaeI am the one capable of taming your pride
Female
Kaalai kaalai… murattu kaalaiBull, bull… wild bull
Male :Aa.. murattu kaalai naanthaandiMale: Ah.. I am the wild bull, girl
Pokkiri raajaa naanthaandiPokkiri Raaja (rogue king) am I, girl
Female
Paaiyum puliyum nee thaanaAre you the pouncing tiger?
Payandhu povadhu sari thaanaIs it right to be afraid?
Male :Naadellaam en pera sollumMale: The whole land speaks my name
Nallavanukku nallavandhandiI am good to those who are good, girl
Male
Aa..haa..haa…haa…haa..Ah..haa..haa…haa…haa..
Female :Oh..hoo…hoo…hoo…hoo..Female: Oh..hoo…hoo…hoo…hoo..
Male :Aa..haaMale: Ah..haa
Female :Aa..haaFemale: Ah..haa
Male :Ae..hae..aehaehae…Male: Ae..hae..aehaehae…
Female
Pombalaiya seraamaWithout uniting with a woman,
Poi serntha allugalaiThose men who pass away,
Kattaiyil thee koodaEven the fire on the funeral pyre
TheendaathaiyaaWill not touch them, sir
Male
Saelaikkul theriyaamaEntangled unknowingly inside a saree,
Sikki vitta aambalaikkuFor the man who gets caught,
Sorgaththil idam yedhumIn heaven there is no place
KidaiyaathammoiAvailable at all, my dear
Female
Kili pola thool melaeLike a parrot on your shoulder
Naan yeri kollattaaShall I perch myself?
Male :Yenna penmai yenna menmaiMale: What womanhood, what gentleness!
Un karpinai kandadhum kannagi kettaa..Seeing your chastity, Kannagi herself asked..
Female
Kaalai kaalaiBull, bull
En murattu kaalaiMy wild bull
Murattu kaalai nee thaanaAre you the wild bull?
Pokkiri raaja nee thaanaAre you the rogue king?
Paaiyum puliyum nee thaanaAre you the pouncing tiger?
Payandhu povadhu sari thaanaIs it right for you to be afraid?
Vaazhvomae onnodu onnaaLet us live united as one
Vaalibam yengudhu endhiri kannaaYouth is longing, wake up my dear
Male
Kaalai kaalaiBull, bull
Aa..murattu kaalaiAh.. wild bull
Aha..murattu kaalai naan thaandiAha.. I am the wild bull, girl
Pokkiri raajaa naanthaandiPokkiri Raaja am I, girl
Paaiyum puliyum naanthaandiI am the pouncing tiger, girl
Payandhu poga maattendiI will not be afraid, girl
Naadellaam en pera sollumThe whole land speaks my name
Nallavanukku nallavandhandiI am good to those who are good, girl
Female
Kaalai kaalaiBull, bull
Male :Ye..hahaa..Male: Yeah..hahaa..
Female :Murattu kaalaiFemale: Wild bull
Male :Ae..hae..hae..hai..Male: Ae..hae..hae..hai..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet features a tease-filled banter between the male and female leads. The heroine playfully taunts the hero by calling him iconic cinema titles ('Murattu Kaalai', 'Pokkiri Raaja', 'Paaiyum Puli') while questioning his courage and asking why he resists her romantic advances. She tempts him with affectionate provocation, suggesting that youth shouldn't be wasted and questioning his masculine pride.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Murattu kaalai nee thaana / Pokkiri raaja nee thaana

Matching starting sounds in consecutive or nearby lines, such as 'Murattu kaalai' and 'Pokkiri raaja'.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Ull kaaichchal yeralaiyaa / Un ullam maralaiyaa

The second consonant sound matches across lines, creating a rhythmic harmony ('Ull' / 'Un').

Cultural Allusion & Metaphor

Murattu kaalai nee thaana / Pokkiri raaja nee thaana / Paaiyum puliyum nee thaana

References to Rajinikanth's blockbuster hit film titles ('Murattu Kaalai', 'Pokkiri Raaja', 'Paaiyum Puli') used metaphorically to describe masculine bravery and swagger.

Mythological Irony / Hyperbole

Un karpinai kandadhum kannagi kettaa..

Mentioning Kannagi, the legendary epitome of chastity, in a teasing and hyperbolic praise of the heroine's wiles.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song playfully incorporates titles of three major hit films of Superstar Rajinikanth ('Murattu Kaalai', 'Pokkiri Raaja', and 'Paaiyum Puli') into the lyric refrain to celebrate his onscreen hero persona.

Keep listening

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