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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhal Duet Paada

From Irandu Manam · 1985

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Vani Jairam, Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Irandu Manam1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Laallaa lala laalla lala laaLaallaa lala laalla lala laa
Male
Kadhal duet paada oru paattu kedachchathuWe have found a song to sing a romantic duet!
Female :Jodi saernthu aada intha edamum irukkuthuFemale: And we have this location right here to dance together as a pair!
Male :Marangalai suththiyae odalaam vaa vaaMale: Come, come, let us run around the trees!
Female :Pulveli irukkuthu puralalaam vaa vaaFemale: There is a grassy lawn, come, come, let us roll on it!
Male
Kadhal duet paada oru paattu kedachchathuWe have found a song to sing a romantic duet!
Female :Jodi saernthu aada intha edamum irukkuthuFemale: And we have this location right here to dance together as a pair!
Female
Rajinikanth nadaiya polae raja un style-uO my king, your style is just like Rajinikanth's iconic walk!
Male :Laalla laalla lalaaMale: Laalla laalla lalaa
Laalla laalla lalaa laa haaLaalla laalla lalaa laa haa
Male
Sridevi azhagga pola needhaandi mayiluYou are as beautiful as Sridevi, my dear peacock!
Female :Laal laalla laalaa laal laalla laalaaFemale: Laal laalla laalaa laal laalla laalaa
Female
Kaala kaiya melae thookki dance nee aadalumYou should lift your arms and legs to dance,
Male :Hahahaa endru humming nee paadanumMale: And you should hum 'hahahaa' as you sing!
Female
Anbe nee vaa vaa….aaa….vaa vaa….My love, come, come... ah... come, come...
Anbae nee vaa vaa aavaaram poovaaMy love, come, come, my Tanner's Cassia flower!
Male :Ammaaddi un meani chappaaththi maavaaMale: Oh my goodness, your body is soft like chapati dough!
Male
Sabaash sariyaana duet….Bravo! What a perfect duet...
Female
Kadhal duet paada oru paattu kedachchathuWe have found a song to sing a romantic duet!
Male :Jodi saernthu aada intha edamum irukkuthu hahaanMale: And we have this location right here to dance together as a pair, hahaan!
Male
Kazhuththoda mookka vachchi moppam naanum pidikkaWhen I place my nose against your neck to take a sniff...
Female :Yaaraachchum paappaangannu naanthaanae thudikkaFemale: I will quiver with anxiety, worrying someone might watch!
Male
Mudhugu pakkam naanthaan vanthuI will come behind your back...
Knnaththaan poththuvaenAnd cover your eyes playfully!
Female :Poththumpothu ponga endruFemale: When you cover my eyes, saying 'Oh go away'...
Ponnu naan kaththuvaenI, the girl, will scream playfully!
Male
Herovum naanthaan….ha haahI am the hero... ha haah!
Herovum naanthaan heroyin neethaanI am the hero, and you are the heroine!
Female :Close up love shot ellaamae okFemale: Close-up love shots, everything is ready and okay!
Male
Kadhal duet paada oru paattu kedachchathuWe have found a song to sing a romantic duet!
Female :Aahaah haFemale: Aahaah ha
Jodi saernthu aada intha edamum irukkuthuThere is this location right here to dance together as a pair!
Male :Marangalai suththiyae odalaam vaa vaaMale: Come, come, let us run around the trees!
Female :Pulveli irukkuthu puralalaam vaa vaaFemale: There is a grassy lawn, come, come, let us roll on it!
Male
Kadhal duet paada oru paattu kedachchathu….We have found a song to sing a romantic duet!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Kadhal duet paada' from Irandu Manam (1985) is a playful, meta-referential track that humorously breaks the fourth wall of Tamil cinema's romantic duet conventions. Written by Gangai Amaran and composed by M. S. Viswanathan, the song features two lovers overtly pointing out cinematic tropes—such as running around trees, rolling on grass, demanding close-up shots, and imitating pop culture icons like Rajinikanth and Sridevi. With dynamic vocal performances by Malaysia Vasudevan and Vani Jairam, the song balances humorous satire with genuine romantic warmth. The couple playfully scripts their own romantic song sequence in real time, making it a unique and lighthearted highlight of 1980s film music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile / Pop Culture Allusion)

Rajinikanth nadaiya polae raja un style-u

Compares the male lead's stylish movement directly to Superstar Rajinikanth's iconic gait.

Uvamai (Simile)

Sridevi azhagga pola needhaandi mayilu

Compares the heroine's beauty to screen legend Sridevi.

Humorous Metaphor / Uvamai

Ammaaddi un meani chappaaththi maavaa

A humorous, unconventional culinary comparison describing her soft complexion/skin as kneaded dough.

Meta-Lyricism (Self-Reflexive Trope)

Close up love shot ellaamae ok

The lyrics explicitly break the fourth wall by discussing the literal mechanics of filming a cinematic duet song.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a rare 1980s example of a fully self-referential 'meta' song in Tamil film music, spoofing classical duet clichés like running around trees and taking dramatic close-up shots while directly mentioning contemporaries Rajinikanth and Sridevi.

Keep listening

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