Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadavul Padachan

From Pokkiri Raja (1982 film) · 1982

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Pokkiri Raja (1982 film)1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Haa imhum…Haa humm...
Kadavul padaichaanGod created,
Ulagam undaachuthe world came into being.
Manushan kudichaanMan drank liquor,
Ulagam rendaachuand the world split into two!
Huhu hu hu hahahaha…Huhu hu hu hahahaha...
Male
Kadavul padaichaanGod created,
Ulagam undaachuthe world came into being.
Manushan kudichaanMan drank liquor,
Ulagam rendaachuand the world split into two!
Male
Haan kadavul padaichaanAh, God created,
Ulagam undaachuthe world came into being.
Manushan kudichaanMan drank liquor,
Ulagam rendaachuand the world split into two!
Male
Aayaa melae saamiThe divine deity will possess
Vanthu aadumthe old woman and dance,
Summa kelu josiyamae koorumJust listen, it will tell your fortune!
Aayaa melae saami vanthu aadumThe divine deity will possess the old woman and dance,
Summa kelu josiyamae koorumJust listen, it will tell your fortune!
Male
Andhi vatta nerathilaeDuring the twilight hour,
Chandriana oruthan paarthanOne guy saw the Moon.
Avan kooda vanthavanoThe one who came along with him,
Sooriyanthaan athunaanThat was the Sun, that's why!
Chandirnana sooriyanaBetween the Moon and the Sun,
Sanda vanthu sernthathaiyaa (Dialogue)A big fight broke out, sir! (Dialogue)
Male
Indha neram paarthuSeeing this time,
Edhukaala oru manushanIn front of them, a man,
Thalaadi thalaadiStumbling and swaying,
Thala keela nadanthu vandhaanWas walking upside down!
Sandai itta rendu perumThe two who were fighting,
Saatchiya avana vechuKept him as a witness,
Chandirana sooriyanaTo tell who was the Moon and who was the Sun,
Seriyai nee sollu naanAsking him to say correctly.
Enakku onnum theriyaathu'I don't know anything,
Naan veli oorunnu poottaan avanI am from another town,' he said and fled!
Haan haan (Dialogue)Ha ha (Dialogue)
Male
Ennadhaan pottaalumNo matter how much liquor I drink,
Nidhaanamdhan thappaathuMy composure/poise won't fail,
Iduppu vetti mattum nikkaathaiyaaOnly the veshti at my waist won't stay put, sir!
……………………………..
Male
Kanniyai thaai enbaenI'll call a young maiden 'mother',
Kizhaviya kannae enbaenAnd I'll call an old woman my 'dear/darling'!
Control konjam kooda koraiyaathaiyaaMy self-control won't decrease even a bit, sir!
Ada meen seththa karuvaaduHey, a dead fish becomes dry fish,
Nee seththa verum kooduWhen you die, you are just an empty shell!
Yaaru periyavan da dei thambiWho is superior here, tell me brother?
Male
Kadavul padaichaanGod created,
Ulagam undaachuthe world came into being.
Manushan kudichaanMan drank liquor,
Ulagam rendaachuand the world split into two!
Male
Kadavul padaichaanGod created,
Ulagam undaachuthe world came into being.
Manushan kudichaanMan drank liquor,
Ulagam rendaachuand the world split into two!
Male
Aayaa melae saamiThe divine deity will possess
Vanthu aadumthe old woman and dance,
Summa kelu josiyamae koorumJust listen, it will tell your fortune!
Male
…………………………..
Male
Oru penna paarthenI saw a woman,
Ennamma kalyaanam aachaanaenI asked, 'Hey lady, are you married?'
AagalennaWhen she said no,
Kuzhantha kutti irukkaannaenI asked, 'Do you have kids?'
Kuduthaa palaarnnuShe slapped me hard!
Naan viduvenaWould I just leave it at that?
Aduththa penna paarthuSeeing the next woman,
Munkootiyae kuzhantha kuttiI beforehand asked if she had kids.
IrukkaannaenWhen she said yes, 'I have two kids',
Aamam rendu kozhantha irukkunnaaOnly after that did I ask if she was married!
Appuramthaan kalyaanam aachaanu kettenThat was the day I had to get a gold tooth fixed!
Annaikkuthaan thanga pallu kattaNeed arose for that!
Vendiya avasiyam vandhadhuHehehhahaha.. (Dialogue)
Hehehhahaha.. (Dialogue)If I drink Whiskey,
Male
Whiskeya pottennaI start singing English songs!
English paateduppenIf local arrack goes inside,
Saarayam ullae ponaTamil songs come out!
Thamizh paattuIf I drink toddy (Kallu),
………………………………..
Male
Kalla kudichennaFolk songs will stream out!
Naadodi paattu varumEven the stone ('kallu') will dance,
Kallukkum dance varumHearing that!
Adha kettuHey, the sky is under my feet,
Male
Ada aagaayam kaal melaeThe earth is in my hands!
Bhoologam kai melaeCome see me dance and show it, my friend!
Aadi kaatugiren vaa nainaGod created,
……………………………………
Male
Kadavul padaichaanthe world came into being.
Ulagam undaachuMan drank liquor,
Manushan kudichaanand the world split into two!
Ulagam rendaachuAh, God created,
Male
Haan kadavul padaichaanthe world came into being.
Ulagam undaachuMan drank liquor,
Manushan kudichaanand the world split into two!
Ulagam rendaachuThe divine deity will possess
Male
Aayaa melae saamithe old woman and dance,
Vanthu aadumJust listen, it will tell your fortune!
Summa kelu josiyamae koorumThe divine deity will possess the old woman and dance,
Aayaa melae saami vanthu aadumJust listen, it will tell your fortune!
Summa kelu josiyamae koorum

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'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.

Keep listening

More from Pokkiri Raja (1982 film)