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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadavul Padachan

From Pokkiri Raja (1982 film) · 1982

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Pokkiri Raja (1982 film)
Movie release year
1982
Lyrics added on
16 Jan 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Haa imhum…
Kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Huhu hu hu hahahaha…
Kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Haan kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Aayaa melae saami
Vanthu aadum
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum
Aayaa melae saami vanthu aadum
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum
Andhi vatta nerathilae
Chandriana oruthan paarthan
Avan kooda vanthavano
Sooriyanthaan athunaan
Chandirnana sooriyana
Sanda vanthu sernthathaiyaa (Dialogue)
Indha neram paarthu
Edhukaala oru manushan
Thalaadi thalaadi
Thala keela nadanthu vandhaan
Sandai itta rendu perum
Saatchiya avana vechu
Chandirana sooriyana
Seriyai nee sollu naan
Enakku onnum theriyaathu
Naan veli oorunnu poottaan avan
Haan haan (Dialogue)
Ennadhaan pottaalum
Nidhaanamdhan thappaathu
Iduppu vetti mattum nikkaathaiyaa
……………………………..
Kanniyai thaai enbaen
Kizhaviya kannae enbaen
Control konjam kooda koraiyaathaiyaa
Ada meen seththa karuvaadu
Nee seththa verum koodu
Yaaru periyavan da dei thambi
Kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Aayaa melae saami
Vanthu aadum
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum
…………………………..
Oru penna paarthen
Ennamma kalyaanam aachaanaen
Aagalenna
Kuzhantha kutti irukkaannaen
Kuduthaa palaarnnu
Naan viduvena
Aduththa penna paarthu
Munkootiyae kuzhantha kutti
Irukkaannaen
Aamam rendu kozhantha irukkunnaa
Appuramthaan kalyaanam aachaanu ketten
Annaikkuthaan thanga pallu katta
Vendiya avasiyam vandhadhu
Hehehhahaha.. (Dialogue)
Whiskeya pottenna
English paateduppen
Saarayam ullae pona
Thamizh paattu
………………………………..
Kalla kudichenna
Naadodi paattu varum
Kallukkum dance varum
Adha kettu
Ada aagaayam kaal melae
Bhoologam kai melae
Aadi kaatugiren vaa naina
……………………………………
Kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Haan kadavul padaichaan
Ulagam undaachu
Manushan kudichaan
Ulagam rendaachu
Aayaa melae saami
Vanthu aadum
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum
Aayaa melae saami vanthu aadum
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum
Ha, mm-hmm...
God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
Hoo-hoo hoo hoo ha-ha-ha-ha-ha...
God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
Haan, God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
A spirit possesses
the old woman and dances!
Just ask, and she will predict your future!
A spirit possesses the old woman and dances,
just ask, and she will predict your future!
Around the time of twilight,
one guy saw the moon.
The friend who came with him
insisted, "No, that's the sun!"
Is it the moon or the sun?
A big quarrel broke out between them! (Dialogue)
Right at that moment,
a man coming their way,
wobbling and swaying,
was walking upside down!
Both the fighting men
made him their witness:
"Is it the moon or the sun?
Tell us the truth!"
"I don't know a thing,
I'm from out of town!" he said, and walked away!
Haan, haan! (Dialogue)
No matter how much I drink,
my balance never fails,
only the dhoti around my waist won't stay put!
...
I'll call a young girl "Mother",
and call an old lady "Sweetheart",
yet my self-control never drops a bit!
Hey, when a fish dies, it becomes dried fish,
when you die, you are just an empty frame!
So who is really bigger, my brother?
God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
A spirit possesses
the old woman and dances!
Just ask, and she will predict your future!
...
I saw a woman,
and asked, "Are you married?"
When she said no,
I asked, "Do you have children?"
She gave me a tight slap across the face!
Would I leave it at that?
Seeing the next woman,
in advance I asked,
"Do you have children?"
She said, "Yes, I have two kids."
Only then did I ask, "Are you married?"
That was the day I had
to get a gold tooth fixed!
He-he-ha-ha-ha... (Dialogue)
If I take a shot of whiskey,
I break into an English song!
If country liquor goes down,
it's a Tamil song!
...
If I drink palm wine,
a folk tune flows right out,
and even a stone will start dancing
when it hears it!
Hey, the sky is under my feet,
and the world rests in my hands!
Come on, pal, let me dance and show you!
...
God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
Haan, God created,
and the world came to be.
Man drank,
and the world split in two!
A spirit possesses
the old woman and dances!
Just ask, and she will predict your future!
A spirit possesses the old woman and dances,
just ask, and she will predict your future!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
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Male
Male
Male
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Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Kadavul Padaichaan' is a famous humorous, drunkard's philosophy song from the 1982 Rajinikanth film 'Pokkiri Raja', composed by M. S. Viswanathan and written by the legendary Kannadasan. Sung brilliantly by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, the song captures the state of double vision and comical wisdom that comes with intoxication, framed around the iconic phrase that God made the world, but man drank and made it into two. Through funny anecdotes, wordplay, and witty punchlines, the protagonist mocks societal norms, talks about losing balance while maintaining mental clarity, and reflects on existential truths like death and equality. The song blends lighthearted drunken storytelling with philosophical undertones in classic Kannadasan fashion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rhyme / Monai & Edhugai (Tamil Prosody)

Kadavul padaichaan / Ulagam undaachu / Manushan kudichaan / Ulagam rendaachu

Matching sound patterns at the beginning and end of successive lines (padaichaan / undaachu / kudichaan / rendaachu).

Pun / Wordplay (Sledai)

Kalla kudichenna... Kallukkum dance varum

Wordplay on 'Kallu' meaning toddy/palm wine and 'Kallu' meaning stone.

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Ada aagaayam kaal melae / Bhoologam kai melae

Exaggerating drunkenness to claim that the sky is under his feet and the earth is in his hands.

Irony & Paradox

Ada meen seththa karuvaadu / Nee seththa verum koodu

Expressing philosophical irony that when a fish dies it becomes food, but when a man dies he becomes an empty shell.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pokkiri Raja' (1982) stars Rajinikanth in a double role alongside Sridevi and Radhika. The song 'Kadavul Padaichaan' was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan and sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. It remains one of Rajinikanth's most famous onscreen drunk-dance comedy tracks.

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