- Lyricist
- Pa. Vijay
- Singers
- Shankar Mahadevan, Mathangi
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Movie name
- Perazhagan
- Movie release year
- 2004
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Dec 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Kaatru Enbatha' captures the overwhelming, intoxicating, and enigmatic feeling of falling deeply in love. The lyrics express the lover's confusion and wonder as to whether this intense emotion should be defined as a gentle breeze, love, poetry, torment, sweetness, or mercy. Love is portrayed as a force that is both tender like a flower and fierce like a storm, causing a paradoxical mix of pleasure and pain. In the verses, the singer vows eternal devotion, declaring that even if the Earth ceases to rotate or acid rains down, their thoughts and protection will remain focused on the beloved. The lyrics vividly describe how love captivates every sense—turning breath into a prison for the wind and thirst into a net for flowing water. Ultimately, the song celebrates the inescapable and transformative nature of romantic passion.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Initial Rhyme (Monaai)
“Kaatru enbatha / Kaathal enbatha / Kavithai enbatha sol”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds and words at the start of consecutive lines (e.g., 'Kaatru enbatha', 'Kaathal enbatha', 'Kavithai enbatha').
Assonance / Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Ithai imsai enbatha / Inimai enbatha / Irakkam enbatha sol”
Matching second letters in consecutive lines ('imsai', 'inimai', 'irakkam') creating rhythm and harmony.
Oxymoron & Paradox
“Ithai kollaamal kolgindra visham enbatha”
Juxtaposition of conflicting ideas such as 'kollaamal kolgindra visham' (a poison that kills without killing) and setting branches on fire while nourishing roots.
Metaphor & Contrast
“Ithu poovalla puyal enbatha”
Contrasting soft imagery with turbulent nature ('poovalla puyal' - not a flower, but a storm) to convey love's power.
Hyperbole
“En kan imai unakku kudayaai varum”
Exaggerated romantic devotion where the speaker promises that eyelids will act as an umbrella against acid rain.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja for the 2004 blockbuster movie 'Perazhagan', this romantic track features lyrics written by Pa. Vijay. The movie starred Suriya in a dual role alongside Jyothika, and Yuvan's energetic yet soulful composition made this song one of the soundtrack's standouts.
Keep listening
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