- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singer
- G. V. Prakash Kumar
- Music director
- G. V. Prakash Kumar
- Movie name
- Angadi Theru
- Movie release year
- 2010
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Jun 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Kannil Theriyum Vaanam' from the movie Angadi Theru (2010) is a poignant lament on poverty, social inequality, and child labor. It portrays the painful reality of young workers who labor in commercial hubs, surrounded by material abundance yet denied basic human dignity and livelihood. The lyrics question divine justice, asking why God allows severe poverty in youth while even wild weeds find a place to survive. Na. Muthukumar's lyrics highlight how hunger acts as the most ruthless beast in human life and how a commercialized 'machine world' offers everything except empathy and humanity. The song ends on a hopeful note, calling for human compassion to build a future world devoid of poverty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Pasi thaan miga periya mirugam”
Hunger is explicitly compared to a ferocious, uncontrollable beast ('mirugam').
Hyperbole
“Kanneer thuligalin aazham kadalai vidavum perithillaiya”
Exaggerates the depth of a poor person's tears as being vast and deeper than an entire ocean to emphasize grief.
Rhetorical Question
“Adhu kadavul seitha pizhai illaiya”
Asks whether poverty is a mistake made by God, not to get an answer, but to provoke deep moral reflection.
Edhukai (Second letter rhyming in Tamil)
“Adakkida vazhigal ingillaiya / Kadalai vidavum perithillaiya”
Rhyming of the second letter 'da' in 'Adakkida' and 'Kadalai' across lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
Angadi Theru (2010), directed by Vasanthabalan, realisticly depicted the harsh living conditions of textile shop workers on Ranganathan Street, Chennai. The film's musical score was composed jointly by Vijay Antony and G. V. Prakash Kumar; this specific emotional track was composed by Vijay Antony with lyrics written by Na. Muthukumar.
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