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Lyrics & meaning

Kannai Vittu

From Iru Mugan · 2016

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
Pravin, Saivu, Tippu, Srimathumitha
Music director
Harris Jayaraj
Movie name
Iru Mugan
Movie release year
2016
Lyrics added on
27 Nov 2016

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai
En kanneere en kanneere
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaai
En kanneere en kanneere
Mazhaiyai andru
Pizhaiyai indru
Nindrai nindrai penne
Isaiyai andru
Kasaiyai indru
Kondraai kondraai pinne..
Humming…
Innum innum ennai enna seivaai anbe
Un vizhiyodu naan puthaiveno
Kadhal indri eeram indri ponaai anbe
Un manadhodu naan muzhaipeno
Sedhilaai sedhilaai idhayam udhira
Ulle ulle neeye
Thugalai thugalai ninaivo sidhara
Nenjam ellam nee keerinaaye
Thani ulaginil unakena naanum
Oor uravena enakena neeyum
Azhagai poothidum en vaanamai
Neeye therinthaaye
Kanavil initha nee
Yen nijathile
Kasanthaai pinbae
Humming…
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai
En kanneere en kanneere
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaai
En kanneere en kanneere…
Mazhaiyai andru
Pizhaiyai indru
Nindrai nindrai penne
Isaiyai andru
Kasaiyai indru
Kondraai kondraai pinne..pinee
humming…
Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai
{Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai
Vaanam vittu ennai thottu neeye vanthaai} (2)
Leaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
Oh my tear, my tear!
Leaving the sky, you came down and touched me,
Oh my tear, my tear!
Back then, as rain,
Today, as a mistake,
You stood before me, girl.
Back then, as music,
Today, as a whip,
You killed me, killed me later...
[Humming]
What more will you do to me, my love?
Will I be buried in your eyes?
You left without love, without any warmth, my love,
Will I ever sprout in your heart?
As my heart crumbles away in pieces,
Deep inside, it is still you.
As my memories scatter into specks of dust,
You scarred my entire heart.
In a world of our own, I was there just for you,
And you were my kin and my whole world,
Blooming beautifully like my sky,
You appeared to me.
You, who were sweet in my dreams,
Why did you in reality
Turn bitter later on?
[Humming]
Leaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
Oh my tear, my tear!
Leaving the sky, you came down and touched me,
Oh my tear, my tear...
Back then, as rain,
Today, as a mistake,
You stood before me, girl.
Back then, as music,
Today, as a whip,
You killed me, killed me later...
[Humming]
Leaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
{Leaving my eyes and touching my cheek, where did you go?
Leaving the sky, you came down and touched me} (2)
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Kannai Vittu' portrays the deep sorrow and yearning of a lover suffering from grief and heartbreak. The protagonist metaphorically compares his beloved to a tear—something born within the eye, tracing down the cheek, and slipping away. The lyrics reflect on how the beloved's presence once felt like soothing rain and divine music, but now feels like a tragic mistake and a painful whip. Through rich imagery of shedding scales, fragmented memories, and bitter reality, the protagonist grieves the lost affection and questions why a sweet dream transformed into such agony.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Kannai vittu kannam pattu yengo ponaai / En kanneere en kanneere”

The lover is directly metaphorized as a tear ('En kanneere') falling from the eye to the cheek, symbolizing both deep affection and sorrow.

Antithesis / Juxtaposition (Maranbaatu Todar)

“Isaiyai andru / Kasaiyai indru”

Contrasts the joy of the past with the agony of the present using opposing imagery like rain vs. mistake ('Mazhaiyai' vs. 'Pizhaiyai') and music vs. whip ('Isaiyai' vs. 'Kasaiyai').

Second-letter Rhyme (Ethirayi)

“Kannai vittu... / Vaanam vittu...”

The second consonant sound 'nn' matches across the words 'Kannai' and 'Vaanam' in corresponding line structures.

Repetition (Anudhadhi / Epizeuxis)

“Sedhilaai sedhilaai idhayam udhira”

The repetition of words like 'Innum innum', 'Sedhilaai sedhilaai', and 'Ulle ulle' heightens the emotional intensity of the pain.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kannai Vittu' is a soulful track from the 2016 Tamil sci-fi action thriller 'Iru Mugan', composed by Harris Jayaraj and written by lyricist Madhan Karky. The song's wordplay uses linguistic contrasts to highlight the passage of time from sweet love to betrayal.

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