Kanni Penne Oh Kanni Penne
From Nalvaravu · 1964
- Lyricist
- V. Lakshmanan
- Singers
- P. Susheela, P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- T. Chalapathi Rao
- Details
- Nalvaravu1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kanni pennae… | O maiden girl... |
| Kanni pennae… oo kanni pennae | O maiden girl... oh maiden girl! |
| Kobam yen ammma thaabam yen ammma | Why this anger, my dear? Why this longing, my dear? |
| Un kann irandum thaamarai pol | Why have your two eyes, like lotus flowers, |
| Sivathathaen summaa sivanthathaen summa | Turned red for no reason? Why are they reddened so needlessly? |
| Kanni pennae… | O maiden girl... |
| Male | |
| Punngaiyai moodi veitha kaaranam ennae | What is the reason for concealing your smile? |
| Punngaiyai moodi veitha kaaranam ennae | What is the reason for concealing your smile? |
| Idhazh minnukindra pal varisai | Where is the festooned decoration of your sparkling teeth, |
| Thoranam engae… thoranam engae | Behind your lips... where is that festoon? |
| Paarthu pesammma paadi aadammaa | Look at me and speak, my dear; sing and dance, my dear! |
| Paasam vaithu aasaiyodu | With affection and desire, |
| Paarvai thannai veesammma | Cast your loving gaze upon me, my dear! |
| Kanni pennae… | O maiden girl... |
| Female | |
| Sithirakkaara oo sithirakkaara | O painter... oh painter! |
| Kaadhal thaan idhoo jaalam yen aiyaaa | Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir? |
| Kaadhal thaan idhoo jaalam yen aiyaaa | Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir? |
| Un sithathilae pen manathai | In your mind, try painting |
| Varaindhu paaraiyaaa… varaindhu paaraiyaa | The heart of a woman... try painting it, my sir! |
| Sithirakkaara …aa… | O painter... |
| Female | |
| Kanni ennai kaakka veitha kaaranam ennae | What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait? |
| Vara sonna neram marandhu pona | Forgetting the appointed time to meet, |
| Karanam ennae | What is the reason? |
| Kanni ennai kaakka veitha kaaranam ennae | What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait? |
| Vara sonna neram marandhu pona | Forgetting the appointed time to meet, |
| Karanam ennae …kaaranam ennae | What is the reason... what is the reason? |
| Kaanum bodhilae kaattum aasaiyae | The desire shown when we meet, |
| Kaanal neeril thondri maari | Like a mirage appearing and shifting, |
| Kalaivadhu thaan yen aiyaaa | Why does it fade away, my sir? |
| Sithirakkaara …aa… | O painter... |
கன்னி பெண்ணே ......
கன்னிப் பெண்ணே ஓ கன்னிப் பெண்ணே
கோபம் ஏனம்மா தாபம் ஏனம்மா உன்
கண்ணிரெண்டும் தாமரைப் போல்
சிவந்ததேன் சும்மா சிவந்ததேன் சும்மா
கன்னி பெண்ணே .....
O maiden girl...
O maiden girl... oh maiden girl!
Why this anger, my dear? Why this longing, my dear?
Why have your two eyes, like lotus flowers,
Turned red for no reason? Why are they reddened so needlessly?
O maiden girl...
புன்னகையை மூடி வைத்த காரணம் என்னே
புன்னகையை மூடி வைத்த காரணம் என்னே
இதழ் மின்னுகின்ற பல்வரிசை
தோரணம் எங்கே தோரணம் எங்கே
பார்த்து பேசம்மா பாடி ஆடம்மா
பாசம் வைத்து ஆசையோடு
பார்வை தன்னை வீசம்மா......
கன்னி பெண்ணே
What is the reason for concealing your smile?
What is the reason for concealing your smile?
Where is the festooned decoration of your sparkling teeth,
Behind your lips... where is that festoon?
Look at me and speak, my dear; sing and dance, my dear!
With affection and desire,
Cast your loving gaze upon me, my dear!
O maiden girl...
சித்திரக்காரா ஓ..சித்திரக்காரா
காதல்தான் இதோ ஜாலம் ஏனைய்யா
காதல்தான் இதோ ஜாலம் ஏனைய்யா
உன் சித்தத்திலே பெண் மனதை
வரைந்து பாரய்யா வரைந்து பாரய்யா
சித்திரக்காரா ...ஆஅ....
O painter... oh painter!
Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir?
Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir?
In your mind, try painting
The heart of a woman... try painting it, my sir!
O painter...
கன்னி என்னை காக்க வைத்த காரணம் என்னே
வரச்சொன்ன நேரம் மறந்து போன
காரணம் என்னே காரணம் என்னே
கன்னி என்னை காக்க வைத்த காரணம் என்னே
வரச்சொன்ன நேரம் மறந்து போன
காரணம் என்னே காரணம் என்னே
காணும் போதிலே காட்டும் ஆசையே
கானல் நீரில் தோன்றி மாறி
கலைவதுதான் ஏனய்யா....
சித்திரக்காரா ...ஆஅ....
What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait?
Forgetting the appointed time to meet,
What is the reason?
What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait?
Forgetting the appointed time to meet,
What is the reason... what is the reason?
The desire shown when we meet,
Like a mirage appearing and shifting,
Why does it fade away, my sir?
O painter...
Kanni pennae…
O maiden girl...
Kanni pennae… oo kanni pennae
O maiden girl... oh maiden girl!
Kobam yen ammma thaabam yen ammma
Why this anger, my dear? Why this longing, my dear?
Un kann irandum thaamarai pol
Why have your two eyes, like lotus flowers,
Sivathathaen summaa sivanthathaen summa
Turned red for no reason? Why are they reddened so needlessly?
Kanni pennae…
O maiden girl...
Punngaiyai moodi veitha kaaranam ennae
What is the reason for concealing your smile?
Punngaiyai moodi veitha kaaranam ennae
What is the reason for concealing your smile?
Idhazh minnukindra pal varisai
Where is the festooned decoration of your sparkling teeth,
Thoranam engae… thoranam engae
Behind your lips... where is that festoon?
Paarthu pesammma paadi aadammaa
Look at me and speak, my dear; sing and dance, my dear!
Paasam vaithu aasaiyodu
With affection and desire,
Paarvai thannai veesammma
Cast your loving gaze upon me, my dear!
Kanni pennae…
O maiden girl...
Sithirakkaara oo sithirakkaara
O painter... oh painter!
Kaadhal thaan idhoo jaalam yen aiyaaa
Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir?
Kaadhal thaan idhoo jaalam yen aiyaaa
Is this love? Why this illusion, my sir?
Un sithathilae pen manathai
In your mind, try painting
Varaindhu paaraiyaaa… varaindhu paaraiyaa
The heart of a woman... try painting it, my sir!
Sithirakkaara …aa…
O painter...
Kanni ennai kaakka veitha kaaranam ennae
What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait?
Vara sonna neram marandhu pona
Forgetting the appointed time to meet,
Karanam ennae
What is the reason?
Kanni ennai kaakka veitha kaaranam ennae
What is the reason you made me, a young maiden, wait?
Vara sonna neram marandhu pona
Forgetting the appointed time to meet,
Karanam ennae …kaaranam ennae
What is the reason... what is the reason?
Kaanum bodhilae kaattum aasaiyae
The desire shown when we meet,
Kaanal neeril thondri maari
Like a mirage appearing and shifting,
Kalaivadhu thaan yen aiyaaa
Why does it fade away, my sir?
Sithirakkaara …aa…
O painter...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a charming, playful romantic duet between lovers. The male protagonist gently teases his beloved, asking why she appears angry and upset, comparing her reddened eyes to lotus flowers and her smile to a sparkling festive decorative arch (thoranam). He coaxes her to leave her anger behind, sing, dance, and shower him with love. In turn, the female protagonist lovingly scolds him, addressing him as a 'painter'. She questions his tardiness and asks why he made her wait despite setting a time. She metaphorically compares his fleeting affection to a desert mirage that appears and disappears, challenging him to truly capture and understand a woman's heart in his art.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Un kann irandum thaamarai pol”
Compares the beloved's eyes directly to red lotus flowers using 'pol' (like).
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Idhazh minnukindra pal varisai Thoranam engae”
Metaphorically equates a row of sparkling white teeth seen between the lips to a decorative festive garland or festoon (thoranam).
Metaphor / Imagery
“Kaanal neeril thondri maari Kalaivadhu thaan yen aiyaaa”
Uses the image of a mirage (kaanal neer) to represent transient, illusory feelings that appear only to vanish.
Initial Rhyme / Alliteration (Monai)
“Paasam vaithu aasaiyodu Paarvai thannai veesammma”
Repetition of consonant sounds 'P' across adjacent words ('Paasam', 'Paarvai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Nalvaravu (1964) featured music by the veteran composer T. Chalapathi Rao, who was well-known for his compositions across both Tamil and Telugu cinema. The duet showcases the classic singing partnership of P. B. Sreenivas and P. Susheela, written by lyricist V. Lakshmanan.
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