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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kaathalo Kathal

From Thenkinnam · 1971

Lyricist
Kumaradevan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, L. R. Eswari
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Thenkinnam1971

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Kaalam vanthathu neram thanthathu kadhalThe time has come, the right moment has granted us love.
Kaalam vanthathu neram thanthathu kadhalThe time has come, the right moment has granted us love.
Female
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu kadhalThat which was an unripe fruit has now ripened into sweet love.
Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu kadhalThat which was an unripe fruit has now ripened into sweet love.
Female
Maiyaalae kulichchu manmathan aanavaraeOh one who bathed in eye-liner and became Cupid himself!
Maiyaalae kulichchu manmathan aanavaraeOh one who bathed in eye-liner and became Cupid himself!
Kaiyaalae konjam anaikattumaaMay I embrace you gently with my hands?
Ponnaana udambu punnaagalaamaShould a body made of gold suffer wounds?
Ponnaana udambu punnaagalaamaShould a body made of gold suffer wounds?
Poovaalae oththadam kudukkattumaaShall I soothe it with a warm compress of flowers?
Poovaalae oththadam kudukkattumaaShall I soothe it with a warm compress of flowers?
Female
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Male
Pompalaiyaa poranthuBorn as a woman,
Aampalaiyaa valarnthaRaised like a man,
Pompalaiyaa poranthuBorn as a woman,
Aampalaiyaa valarnthaRaised like a man,
Pokkiriyonnu uttuputtaenI let go of my wild rogue persona.
Appadiyilla ippadithaannuRealizing later that it wasn't like that, but like this,
Appadiyilla ippadithaannu appuramaa therinjuRealizing later that it wasn't like that, but like this,
Thottukittaen ippa ottikkittaenI touched you, and now I am attached to you.
Female
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Female
Antha kadhai pazhasu intha kadhai pudhusuThat old story is past, this story is brand new.
Antha kadhai pazhasu intha kadhai pudhusuThat old story is past, this story is brand new.
Aarambam ippo sarithaanaaIs this new beginning right now?
Yaennu ketkka yaarumae illaiThere is no one around to question us or ask why,
Yaennu ketkka yaarumae illaiThere is no one around to question us or ask why,
Inimael thaviththida viduvenaaWill I ever let you suffer from now on?
Male
Kannaana kadhalukkuFor a love as precious as one's eyes,
Advance vaangittuHaving taken an advance,
Kannaana kadhalukkuFor a love as precious as one's eyes,
Advance vaangittuHaving taken an advance,
Kadhalikka vanthaen ippo ippoI have come to love now, right now!
Maappillai ponnaa manjaththil onnaaAs bridegroom and bride, together on the marital bed,
Maappillai ponnaa manjaththil onnaaAs bridegroom and bride, together on the marital bed,
Konjaamal konjuvathu eppo eppoWhen will we cherish each other endlessly?
Male
Kadhalo kadhal kadhalo kadhalIs it love, oh love? Is it love, oh love?
Female :Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu kadhalFemale: That which was an unripe fruit has now ripened into sweet love.
Both :Kaalam vanthathu neram thanthathu kadhalBoth: The time has come, the right moment has granted us love.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kadhalo Kadhal is a vibrant, flirtatious duet from the 1971 Tamil film Thenkinnam, composed by Shankar-Ganesh and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and L. R. Eswari. The song celebrates the blossoming of romantic love, comparing the emotional evolution of the lovers to an unripe fruit that slowly ripens into sweetness. The lyrics reflect a transformation from youthful, headstrong independence to intimate romantic devotion, filled with playful teasing and affectionate banter.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)

Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu kadhal

Comparing love to an unripe fruit that ripens over time ('Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu').

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kaayaai irunthathu kaniyaai kaninthathu kadhal

Repetition of the 'Ka' sound across words in the line ('Kaayaai', 'Kaniyaai', 'Kaninthathu', 'Kadhal').

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Antha kadhai pazhasu intha kadhai pudhusu

Matching second consonants in contrasting words ('Antha' / 'Intha').

Hyperbole / Metaphor

Ponnaana udambu punnaagalaama

Referring to the human body as golden ('Ponnaana udambu') and soothing wounds with flowers ('Poovaalae oththadam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Thenkinnam (1971) featured comedy star Nagesh in a lead role alongside Vijayalalitha. The song 'Kadhalo Kadhal' showcases the energetic vocal chemistry between T. M. Soundararajan and L. R. Eswari, typical of popular early 1970s commercial tracks composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh.

Keep listening

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