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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kadhalikum Pennin

From Kadhalan · 1994

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Udit Narayan, Pallavi
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Kadhalan1994

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na nana…..Na nana…..
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na na nana…..Na na nana…..
yeah….yeah…yeah…yeah…. yeah… yeah…
Male
Kaadhalikkum pennin kaigalIf given by the hands
Thottu neetinalOf the woman you love,
Male :Chinna thagaram koodaMale: Even a small piece of tin
Thangam dhanaeIs equivalent to gold.
Male
Kaadhalikkum pennin vannaOn the colorful double cheeks
Kannam rendilaeOf the woman you love,
Male :Minnum paruvum koodaMale: Even a glowing pimple
Pavazham dhanaeIs like a precious coral.
Male
Sindhum vervaiThe sweat she sheds
Theertham agumBecomes holy water.
Chinna parvaiHer simple glance
Motcham agumGrants salvation.
Male
{Kaadhalin sangeedhamae{The music of love,
Male : Mm hmmMale: Mm hmm
Bhoomiyin bhoobalamae} (2)Is the morning raga of the earth.} (2)
Male
Mmm…mmm…mmm…mmm..Mmm… mmm… mmm… mmm..
Mmmm…hmmmm..mmm…Mmmm… hmmmm.. mmm…
Mmm…mmm…mmm…mmm..Mmm… mmm… mmm… mmm..
Mmmm…hmmmm..mmm….Mmmm… hmmmm.. mmm….
Male
{Sa ni sa…{Sa ni sa…
Sa ri ga ri sa riSa ri ga ri sa ri
Sa ni pa ni sa ni saSa ni pa ni sa ni sa
Sa ma ma pa ga ri sa} (2)Sa ma ma pa ga ri sa} (2)
Chorus
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na nana…..Na nana…..
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na na nana…..Na na nana…..
Male
Kaadhalikkum pen ezhudhumIn the handwriting written
Kai yezhuthilaeBy the girl in love,
Kanda pizhaigal koodaEven the errors spotted
Kavidhai agumaeBecome beautiful poetry.
Female
Kaadhal ondrumLove never checks for
Sutham kitham parpadhillaiyaePurity or hygiene;
Echil koodaEven her saliva
Punidham agumaeBecomes sacred.
Male
Gundu malliA jasmine garland worth
Rendu roobaiTwo rupees,
Un koondhal yeriOnce it rests on your hair
Udhirum poo kodi roobaiAnd falls, is worth tens of millions.
Female
Panju mittaiA cotton candy worth
Anju roobaiFive rupees,
Nee padhi thindru thandhathaalBecause you ate half and gave it to me,
Laksha roobaiIs worth a hundred thousand rupees.
Female
Kaadhalikkum pennin kaigalIf given by the hands
Thottu neetinalOf the woman you love,
Chorus :Chinna thagaram koodaChorus: Even a small piece of tin
Thangam dhanaeIs equivalent to gold.
Female
Kaadhalikkum pennin vannaOn the colorful double cheeks
Kannam rendilaeOf the woman you love,
Chorus :Minnum paruvum koodaChorus: Even a glowing pimple
Pavazham dhaneIs like a precious coral.
Male
Sindhum vervaiThe sweat she sheds
Theertham agumBecomes holy water.
Chinna parvaiHer simple glance
Motcham agumGrants salvation.
Female
{Kaadhalin sangeedhamae{The music of love,
Male :Mm hmmMale: Mm hmm
Bhoomiyin bhoobalamae} (2)Is the morning raga of the earth.} (2)
Female
Kaadhal ondrumLove never looks for
Nalla neram parpadhillaiyaeAn auspicious time;
Raghu kalam koodaEven the inauspicious Raaghu Kaalam
Rasi agumaeBecomes favorable.
Male
Kaadhalukku annapakshiLove does not require
Thevai illaiyaeA celestial swan messenger;
Kakkai koodaEven a common crow
Thoodhu pogumaeWill carry its message.
Female
Kaadhal jodiLoving couples
KuraivadillaiNever diminish;
Kaadhal endrumLove never finds
Kutramae parpadhillaiAny fault.
Male
Idil arpamanaduIn this state, nothing
Eduvum illaiIs considered trivial or low;
Inda nutpamThis subtle nuance
Oorukku puriyavillaiThe world fails to understand.
Chorus
Vanum mannumThe sky and the earth
Mariyae pogumMay change and pass,
Kaadhal endrum vazhumaeBut love will live on forever.
Chorus
Adam evalThe song sung
Padiya padalBy Adam and Eve
Katril endrum ketkumaeWill echo in the breeze forever.
Chorus
Kaadhal ketta varthaiyaIs love a bad word?
Enna yarum sollalamAnyone can say it,
Nee sollavendum indruYou must say it today.
Chorus
Kaadhal mullin veliyaIs love a fence of thorns?
Enna yarum sellalamAnyone can cross it,
Nee sellavendum indruYou must cross it today.
Chorus
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na nana…..Na nana…..
Nana…nana..Nana… nana..
Na na nana…..Na na nana…..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Kaadhalikkum Pennin' from the movie Kadhalan (1994) is an iconic romantic track celebrating the transformative power of love. Lyricist Vairamuthu poetically describes how love elevates ordinary, everyday objects and occurrences into extraordinary treasures. A small tin piece becomes gold, sweat turns into sacred holy water, errors in handwriting become poetry, and cheap cotton candy becomes invaluable simply because it is associated with the person one loves. The song further expands on the timeless nature of love, asserting that love transcends astrological timings, societal norms, and petty distinctions. It portrays love as the ultimate fundamental force of humanity, originating from Adam and Eve and enduring through all generations regardless of how the world changes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Utpreksha / Ekadhika)

Chinna thagaram kooda Thangam dhanae

Exaggeration used to express love's intensity, such as a two-rupee flower falling from her hair becoming worth a crore rupees, or tin turning into gold.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Sindhum vervai Theertham agum / Chinna parvai Motcham agum

Directly equating sweat to sacred water (theertham) and a glance to spiritual salvation (motcham).

Antithesis / Contrast

Raghu kalam kooda Rasi agumae

Contrasting inauspicious elements like Raaghu Kaalam and crows with auspiciousness and romance.

Allusion

Adam eval Padiya padal

Referencing the biblical/primordial figure of Adam and Eve to emphasize love's eternal origin.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A.R. Rahman for the blockbuster film 'Kadhalan' (1994) directed by S. Shankar, this song features playback singing by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The soundtrack was a massive success across India, helping launch Prabhu Deva into stardom. The visual picturization featuring Prabhu Deva and Nagma became immensely popular for its vibrant imagery and choreography.

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