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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kandha Kaara Vadai

From Saguni · 2012

Lyricist
Paramu
Singers
Shankar Mahadevan, Karthi
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Movie name
Saguni
Movie release year
2012
Lyrics added on
30 Mar 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Busy city with pasi citizens
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Parakuranae
Machaan paayuraanae
Theduraan oduraan
Nikka yethu neramilla
Jeichitta pugal
Bothaiyil aaduraanae
Thothitta sarakku pottu aadurenae
Hindi pesuran engleesh-u pesuraan
Ithu vanthara vaazha vaikkum
Tamil naadu-nga
Tamil pesuravana yenthuraanae
Thiru vodu-nga
Male :Yammaaa….
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
……………………………
Parakkum paalam
Parakkum rail-u
Chennai palapalakkuthu
Pala perukku platform la dhaan
First-u night-u nadakuthu…uu…
Molachu moonu ela vidala
Footboard-u adikuthu
Nethu porandha kulandhai kuda
Fulla dhan kudikuthu
Siganal kaatran
Thanga ponnu madiyuthu
Ada moonae maasam dhaan
Courtil divorce kekuthu
Ithu vanthara vaazha vaikkum
Tamil naadu-nga
Tamil pesuravana yenthuraanae
Thiru vodu-nga
Male :Yammaaa….
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
…………………………………
Aadina aatam pesina pechu
Moochadangi paduthu kidakuthu ..uu
Ponathukku munnaal naalaya ponangal
Potti poottu kuthadikuthu..uu
Kaasukaaga kadavulayae
Naadu kadathuran
Tharisanam venumuna
Kadavul kuda kaasu kekuran
Card-u kaatina
Atm kaasu thuputhu
Kaasu ilathavana
Ulagam kaari thuputhu
Ithu vanthara vaazha vaikkum
Tamil naadu-nga
Tamil pesuravana yenthuraanae
Thiru vodu-nga
Male :Yammaaa….
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Kandha kaara vada
Murukku masaal vada
Roadula thaan idli kada
Kaasillana patni kada
Parakuranae
Machaan paayuraanae
Theduraan oduraan
Nikka yethu neramilla
Jeichitta pugal
Bothaiyil aaduraanae
Thothitta sarakku pottu aadurenae
Hindi pesuran engleesh-u pesuraan
Ithu vanthara vaazha vaikkum
Tamil naadu-nga
Tamil pesuravana
Male :Risk-a irunthaalum life jaali boss
A busy city filled with hungry citizens
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
He is flying high
My friend is leaping ahead
He searches and runs
There is no time to stop at all
If he wins, in the intoxication of fame
He dances away
If I lose, I drink liquor and dance away
He speaks Hindi, he speaks English
This is the land that gives life to newcomers
It is Tamil Nadu, sir
And the native Tamil speaker is left holding
A begging bowl, sir
Male: Oh my goodness...
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
...
Flyover bridges
Elevated trains
Chennai is glittering bright
Yet for many, right on the railway platform
The wedding night takes place...
Hardly grown three leaves yet
He hangs riding on the bus footboard
Even a child born yesterday
Is drinking liquor to the full
He signals and flirts
A golden girl falls for him
Ah, in just three months
She demands a divorce in court
This is the land that gives life to newcomers
It is Tamil Nadu, sir
And the native Tamil speaker is left holding
A begging bowl, sir
Male: Oh my goodness...
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
...
The dance danced, the speech spoken
Lies lifeless and breathless...
Future corpses four days from now
Compete and dance wildly...
For the sake of money, even God
Is smuggled out of the country
If you want a sacred darshan
Even God asks for money
If you insert a card
The ATM spits out money
At the man with no money
The world spits in disgust
This is the land that gives life to newcomers
It is Tamil Nadu, sir
And the native Tamil speaker is left holding
A begging bowl, sir
Male: Oh my goodness...
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
Hot and spicy vada
Crunchy murukku, masala vada
Right on the road is the idli stall
If you have no money, it becomes a starvation shop
He is flying high
My friend is leaping ahead
He searches and runs
There is no time to stop at all
If he wins, in the intoxication of fame
He dances away
If I lose, I drink liquor and dance away
He speaks Hindi, he speaks English
This is the land that gives life to newcomers
It is Tamil Nadu, sir
The native Tamil speaker...
Male: Even if it is risky, life is fun, boss!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Kandha Kaara Vada' (Vanthara Vaazha Vaikkum) from the movie Saguni (2012) offers a sharp, energetic, and satirical commentary on modern urban life in Chennai and Tamil Nadu. It highlights the fast-paced nature of the city, where people are constantly running in pursuit of money, fame, and survival. It contrasts the famous Tamil proverb that Tamil Nadu welcomes and provides a livelihood to anyone who arrives ('Vanthara Vaazha Vaikkum') with the ironic plight of local Tamils who end up struggling or left behind. Through street-level observations—ranging from roadside eateries, dangerous bus footboard rides, youth alcoholism, quick divorces, commercialization of religion, and modern ATM materialism—the song critiques societal superficiality. Despite the grim social realities highlighted, the song maintains a humorous, philosophical, and resilient tone, epitomized by the famous concluding line that life remains fun despite all risks.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaaphora / Repetition (Esei / Rhyme)

Parakkum paalam / Parakkum rail-u

Repetition of the line 'Parakkum paalam / Parakkum rail-u' builds rhythm while emphasizing modern rapid urban infrastructure.

Satire and Social Irony

Ithu vanthara vaazha vaikkum Tamil naadu-nga / Tamil pesuravana yenthuraanae Thiru vodu-nga

Contrasts Tamil Nadu's hospitable nature towards immigrants with the ironic poverty of native speakers reduced to 'thiru vodu' (begging bowl).

Hyperbole

Nethu porandha kulandhai kuda / Fulla dhan kudikuthu

Exaggerates the extreme youthfulness of today's impressionable generation engaging in vices.

Metaphor

Molachu moonu ela vidala

'Molachu moonu ela vidala' (Hasn't even grown three leaves) metaphorically describes youngsters who lack age and maturity.

Did you know?

Trivia

The track was composed by G. V. Prakash Kumar with lyrics by Paramu, sung energetically by Shankar Mahadevan and G. V. Prakash. The ending line spoken in Santhanam's iconic delivery, 'Risk-a irunthaalum life jaali boss', turned into one of the most famous pop-culture catchphrases and memes across South India.

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