- Lyricist
- Gaana Bala
- Singers
- Gaana Bala, Anthony Daasan
- Music director
- Santhosh Narayanan
- Movie name
- Soodhu Kavvum
- Movie release year
- 2013
- Lyrics added on
- 16 Oct 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Kaasu Panam Dhuttu Money Money from the dark comedy Soodhu Kavvum is a satirical ode to the intoxicating power of money and greed. Sung by Gaana Bala and Anthony Dasan with music by Santhosh Narayanan, the song expresses the chaotic state of mind experienced by small-time criminals when they suddenly stumble upon a huge fortune. The lyrics capture the irony of ill-gotten wealth making fools feel invincible and arrogant. Using casual Chennai slang and traditional Tamil proverbs, the song portrays how money blinds a person's judgment, causing them to lose sense of direction and spend foolishly. Through witty metaphors like a monkey holding a sandalwood garland and money barking like a dog, the track serves as both an entertaining anthem and a clever commentary on the absurdity of materialism.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Tautology / Polyglot Synonymy
“Kaasu panam dhuttu money money…”
The line uses four words across Tamil and English (Kaasu, Panam, Dhuttu, Money) that all mean 'cash' or 'money', reinforcing the characters' overwhelming fixation on wealth.
Pazhamozhi (Proverb) / Metaphor
“Kurangu kitta maatikina santhana maala”
Refers to the classic Tamil proverb 'Kurangu kailai kidaitha poomaalai' (a garland in a monkey's hand), symbolizing valuable money being squandered by those who do not deserve or understand it.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme) & Antithesis
“Nalla vaayan sambathichatha / Naara vaayan thunnuran”
Contrasts 'Nalla vaayan' (the honest/good earner) with 'Naara vaayan' (the foul/greedy consumer) while maintaining the second-letter rhyming pattern ('lla' / 'ra').
Personification & Onomatopoeia
“Naai vitha kaasu kooda / Lollu lollu-nnu kuraikuthu”
Personifies money as an arrogant dog barking ('lollu lollu') to describe how even low-quality wealth brings loud arrogance.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song played a key role in bringing authentic Chennai 'Gaana' folk music into modern Tamil indie-pop cinema. Lyricist and singer Gaana Bala became a household name following the massive success of this soundtrack, which uniquely blended jazz basslines with acoustic guitars and native Gaana vocals.
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