Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhal Anukkal

From Enthiran · 2010

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Vijay Prakash, Shreya Ghoshal
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Enthiran2010

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
………………………………...
Male
Kaadhal anukal udambil ethanaiHow many love atoms are in the body?
Neutron electron un neelaHow many neutrons and electrons altogether
Kannil motham ethanaiAre in your blue eyes?
Unnai ninaithaalWhen thinking of you,
Thisukal thorum aasai chindhanaiDesire-filled thoughts spread across every tissue.
Male
Haiyoo sanaa sanaa orae vinaaOh Sanaa, Sanaa, there is just one question!
Azhagin motham neeyaaAre you the sum total of all beauty?
Nee newton newtonin vidhiyaaAre you Newton's law?
Undhan nesam nesam edhir vinaiyaaIs your affection an equal and opposite reaction?
Male
Nee aayiram vinmeenIs your smile gathered
Thiratiya punnagaiyaaFrom a thousand stars?
Azhagin motham neeyaa aaaAre you the sum total of all beauty?
Female
Nee mutrum ariviyal pithanYou are a total science fanatic,
Aanaal mutham ketpathil jithanBut a master when asking for a kiss!
Female
Unnaal dheem thom thomBecause of you, 'dheem thom thom',
Dheem thom thom dheem thom thom'Dheem thom thom, dheem thom thom',
Manadhil sathamA rhythmic sound beats in my heart!
Female
Thaen thaen idhazhil yuthamA war on honey-sweet lips,
Rojaa poovil rathamBlood on a red rose!
Hooo dheem thom thomHooo, 'dheem thom thom',
Manadhil sathamA sound in the heart!
Male
Ho ho ho { ho baby ho babyHo ho ho { Oh baby, oh baby,
Senthaenil ossaabiWasabi in pure honey!
Ho baby ho babyOh baby, oh baby,
Megathil pootha gulaabi } (2)A rose that blossomed in the clouds! } (2)
Male
Pataam poochi pataam poochiA butterfly, a butterfly
Kaalgalai kondu thaan rusi ariyumTastes things using its feet.
Kaadhal kollum manidha poochiThe human insect in love
Kangalai kondu thaan rusi ariyumTastes love using its eyes!
Female
Odugira thanniyil thanniyilIn running water, in running water,
Oxygen miga adhigamOxygen content is much higher.
Paadugira manasukul manasukulInside a heart that sings, inside a heart,
Aasaigal miga adhigamDesires are much higher!
Male
Aasaiyae vaa vaaCome, my desire, come, come!
Aayiram kaadhalai aindhae nodiyil seivomLet us make a thousand acts of love in just five seconds!
Pennae vaa vaa vaaGirl, come, come, come!
Female
Kaadhal kaara … aaOh male lover...
Nesam valarka oru neram odhukuSet aside some time to nurture our love,
Endhan nenjam veengi vitadhaeMy heart has swollen with yearning!
Male
Kaadhal kaari … iiiOh female lover...
Undhan idaiyai polaeJust like your slim waist,
Endhan pizhaipil koodaEven in my daily life,
Kaadhalin neramum ilaithu vitadhaeThe time left for love has slimmed down!
Male
Ho ho ho { ho baby ho babyHo ho ho { Oh baby, oh baby,
Senthaenil ossaabiWasabi in pure honey!
Ho baby ho babyOh baby, oh baby,
Megathil pootha gulaabi } (2)A rose that blossomed in the clouds! } (2)
Female
…………………………….....
Male
…………………………………....
Female
Kaadhal anukal udambil ethanaiHow many love atoms are in the body?
Neutron electronNeutrons and electrons,
Un kaandha kannil motham ethanaiHow many in total are in your magnetic eyes?
Female
Unnai ninaithaalWhen thinking of you,
Thisukal thorum aasai chindhanaiDesire-filled thoughts spread across every tissue.
Anbae ………………………….My beloved...
Male
Sanaa sanaa orae vinaaSanaa, Sanaa, there is just one question!
Azhagin motham neeyaaAre you the sum total of all beauty?
Nee newton newtonin vidhiyaaAre you Newton's law?
Undhan nesam nesam edhir vinaiyaaIs your affection an equal and opposite reaction?
Male
Nee aayiram vinmeenIs your smile gathered
Thiratiya punnagaiyaaFrom a thousand stars?
Azhagin motham neeyaa aaaAre you the sum total of all beauty?
Male
Ho ho ho { ho baby ho babyHo ho ho { Oh baby, oh baby,
Senthaenil ossaabiWasabi in pure honey!
Ho baby ho babyOh baby, oh baby,
Megathil pootha gulaabi } (4)A rose that blossomed in the clouds! } (4)
Female
……………………………………….....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Kadhal Anukkal (Love Atoms) is a vibrant techno-romantic track from the futuristic film 'Enthiran'. Written by Vairamuthu and set to music by A. R. Rahman, the song portrays the love between a scientist (Vaseegaran) and his lover (Sanaa), blending complex scientific jargon with poetic Tamil expressions of love. Scientific concepts such as neutrons, electrons, tissue biology, and Newton's third law are creatively intertwined with metaphors of romance, kisses, and affection. The lyrics playfully compare natural scientific phenomena—like butterflies tasting with their feet versus humans tasting love through sight, or running water having high oxygen—to the heightened surge of emotions in love. It captures the unique dynamic of an intellectual, science-crazed man being deeply enchanted and overwhelmed by his partner's beauty and affection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Scientific Metaphor (Ariviyal Uvamai)

Kaadhal anukal udambil ethanai / Neutron electron un neela

Blending physical science (atoms, neutrons, electrons) with romantic affection to express the intensity of feelings at a microscopic/cellular level.

Edhugai (Monoorukai Rhyme / Second-letter Rhyme)

Nee mutrum ariviyal pithan / Aanaal mutham ketpathil jithan

Rhyming the second letter of consecutive lines (e.g., 'pithan' and 'jithan').

Oxymoron / Contrast

Senthaenil ossaabi

Pairing 'Senthaen' (sweet pure honey) with 'Ossabi/Wasabi' (pungent Japanese horseradish) to signify sweet yet sharp, exciting passion.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Oxygen miga adhigam / Aasaigal miga adhigam

Lines ending with similar sounding suffixes ('adhigam' / 'adhigam').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A. R. Rahman for Shankar's magnum opus 'Enthiran', the track features vocals by Vijay Prakash and Shreya Ghoshal. Lyricist Vairamuthu purposefully integrated terms from physics, chemistry, and biology (like neutrons, oxygen, wasabi, tissue, Newton's law) to reflect the protagonist's scientific background.

Keep listening

More from Enthiran