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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kabaddi Kabaddi

From Kennedy Club · 2019

Lyricist
Viveka
Singers
Resmi Sateesh, Srinidhi, Suriya Badrinath
Music director
D. Imman
Details
Kennedy Club2019

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female
Vaettai thamizhanTamilian of the hunt,
Verithanam idhuThis is pure passion and fury!
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female :Veera maraththi porkalam idhuFemale: This is the battlefield of brave women!
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female
Koondhal mudichuTying up the hair,
Kuthikuthu puyalThe storm leaps in!
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female :Theemtharigida bharathi magalFemale: The rhythmic, bold daughter of Bharathi!
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female
Aaan adakkanumMan should rule,
Pen adanganumWoman should submit—
Ezhuthivechavan yaaruWho was the one who wrote this down?
Aankalavida pen pala padiLook at her, possessing valor
Veeram kondava paaruMany steps higher than men!
Female
Oor patharattumLet the town panic,
Aal sitharattumLet the crowds scatter,
Vaai katharattum aththumeeruLet mouths scream out—cross all boundaries!
Female
Kaal nazhuvattumLet feet slip,
Kai thaluvattumLet hands tackle,
Nee veri-aattam aadu aaduDance your fierce dance of rage!
Female
Veera thamizhanThe brave Tamilian
Vethachu vittadhuSowed the seeds of this game,
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female :aadhi thamizhan anuppi vachathuFemale: Handed down by the ancient Tamilian,
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female
Vettaigalin adaiyaalam idhuThis is the mark of ancient hunts,
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female :Veril irukkum sarithiram idhuFemale: This is history rooted at our very core!
Chorus :Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiChorus: Kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Female
Ethiri idathil egiri adikkaTo leap and strike inside enemy territory,
Paadam edukkum paaruLook how this game teaches us lessons!
Ethana peru valachchapothumNo matter how many people surround you,
Thimiri vanthu nee seruBreak free with pride and join the raid!
Female
Nee pulikutti-pol thodaithattiSlap your thigh like a tiger cub,
Vaa pagai netti thallivittuCome on, push the enemy far away!
Nee ilavattam thee paravattumLet youth spread like wild fire,
On olivattam enna kattuShow us the radiant halo of your power!
Female
En kuththula en kuththulaWith my punch, with my punch,
Vaai veththala podadhaaWon't their mouth bleed like chewing betel leaf?
Naan nettuna naan muttunaIf I push or if I headbutt,
On kattidam saiyaathaWon't your entire building collapse?
Female
Thee pathina mannennaLike kerosene catching fire,
Pola dhaan veriyaa irukkomWe stand filled with fierce fury!
Nee geththodaa suthaathaDon't walk around boasting your male pride,
Odamba veragaa murippomWe will break your body like firewood!
Female
Pottapulla saduguduThe young woman's game of Sadugudu—
Pozhaikka matta vazhi viduYou won't survive it, make way!
Saamanthiyaa ninachathuWhat you thought was a soft marigold
Sammattiyaa norukkuthuCrushes everything like a heavy sledgehammer!
Female
Kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi
Kabadi kabadi kabadi kabadiKabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The title anthem 'Kabadi Kabadi' from the movie Kennedy Club (2019) is a high-energy sports track celebrating female empowerment and the traditional Tamil sport of Kabaddi. Lyricist Viveka crafts a fierce challenge to gender norms, questioning ancient patriarchal rules that dictate women should be submissive. The lyrics position female players as descendants of Subramania Bharati's visionary 'Pudhumai Penn' (modern woman), equipped with courage that surpasses conventional expectations.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second-letter rhyme)

Oor patharattum / Aal sitharattum

Matching second consonants across lines ('th' in patharattum and sitharattum) creates a rhythmic driving force.

Simile (Uvamai)

Thee pathina mannenna / Pola dhaan veriyaa irukkom

The players' intense energy and passion are compared to kerosene catching fire instantly.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Saamanthiyaa ninachathu / Sammattiyaa norukkuthu

Women, traditionally stereotyped as delicate like 'Saamanthi' (marigold flowers), are metamorphosed into heavy 'Sammatti' (sledgehammers) that crush opponents.

Alliteration (Monaai)

Pottapulla sadugudu / Pozhaikka matta vazhi vidu

Repetition of initial consonant 'P' sounds ('Pottapulla', 'Pozhaikka') emphasizes the assertive warning in the line.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kennedy Club is a sports drama written and directed by Suseenthiran, based on real-life women's Kabaddi teams in rural Tamil Nadu. Composer D. Imman incorporated authentic folk percussion rhythms combined with raw vocal performances by Resmi Sateesh and Srinidhi to match the intense, high-stakes atmosphere of professional Kabaddi matches.

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