- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Nalla Mudivu
- Movie release year
- 1973
- Lyrics added on
- 25 Dec 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Kaattu Roja from the 1973 film Nalla Mudivu is a tender romantic duet expressing the delightful shyness, hesitation, and overwhelming feelings shared between lovers. The hero fondly refers to his love as a 'Kaattu Roja' (wild rose), urging her to lift her gaze and show her radiant face. The heroine responds by addressing him as 'Kaalai Raja' (the morning sun king), explaining how her heart blooms like a flower in his presence. As the song unfolds, both lovers describe their endearing helplessness—how every desire to speak, gaze, embrace, or express love turns into joyful speechlessness when standing face to face.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Double Entendre (Sledai)
“Kaattu roja mugathai kaattu roja”
The phrase 'Kaattu roja' cleverly uses 'Kaattu' in two senses: as an adjective meaning 'wild' (wild rose) and as an imperative verb meaning 'show' (show your rose face).
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Kaalai raja ilangaalai raja”
Addressing the beloved as 'Kaalai raja' (Morning King) metaphorically equates the hero to the morning sun that prompts the flower (heroine) to bloom.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Unnai megam pola thazhuva vanthaen”
Compares the desire to gently embrace the lover to a soft cloud enveloping something ('megam pola').
Repetition / Reduplication (Adukku Thodar)
“Mella mella paarkka vanthaen”
Words like 'Mella mella' and 'Alli alli' are repeated for rhythmic emphasis and to signify intensity or gentleness.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary music director M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by the poet Kannadasan, this classic track features the master duo T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. Kannadasan's playful lyricism excels in using the word 'Kaattu' twice in a single line with different contextual meanings, creating an iconic opening hook in 70s Tamil film music.
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