Karpanai Kanavinile
From Kathanayaki · 1955
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- A. M. Rajah, Swarnalatha
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Kathanayaki1955
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Karpanai kanavilae naanoru | In my imaginary dream, I... |
| Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine |
| Oru kadhaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine! |
| Male | |
| Karpanai kanavilae naanoru | In my imaginary dream, I... |
| Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine |
| Oru kadhaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine! |
| Female | |
| Antha kadhaanaayagi yaaro | Who is that heroine? |
| Kadhal paattu paadinaalo | Did she sing a love song? |
| Hindi tune-yil paadinaalo | Did she sing to a Hindi tune? |
| English dance-u aadinaalo | Did she perform an English dance? |
| Male | |
| Suvai tharum tamizhil paadi | Singing in sweet Tamil, |
| Cineema star pol aadi | Dancing like a movie star, |
| Sirippu kaattiyae aasai moottiya | Flashing a smile and stirring up desire, |
| International beauty | An international beauty! |
| Male | |
| Karupppu thiratchai pol kangal | Eyes like black grapes, |
| Kannam irandumae apple | Both cheeks like apples, |
| Kaandham polavae kavarum pechu | Speech captivating like a magnet, |
| Kidaiththathae enaku chance-u | I got a grand chance! |
| Male | |
| Karpanai kanavilae naanoru | In my imaginary dream, I... |
| Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine |
| Female | |
| Pulli maanai pol thulli | Leaping like a spotted deer, |
| Paarvaiyaal kadhai solli | Telling stories through her gaze, |
| Jollyaai aval jaadai pesave | As she playfully signaled with gestures, |
| Sarasam aadi vantheero | Did you come flirting with her? |
| Female | |
| Azhagu punnagai kandu | Seeing her beautiful smile, |
| Avalidam aaval kondu | Feeling a deep longing for her, |
| Annamae ajandha vannamae | Calling her 'swan' and 'color of Ajanta', |
| Enavae adukku mozhiyil alantheero | Did you measure her with stacked poetic lines? |
| Male | |
| Karpanai kanavilae naanoru | In my imaginary dream, I... |
| Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen | Saw a heroine |
| Male | |
| Parakkum thattilae vanthaal | She arrived on a flying saucer, |
| Park-kil ennaiyae kandaal | She spotted me in the park, |
| Paavai ennudan keli pesiyae | The young maiden bantered playfully with me, |
| Edhiril vanthu nirkkindraal | And came and stood right before me! |
| Female | |
| Vishayam Purinthu kondaen | I understood the whole matter, |
| Vaahvini inbam kandaen | I found bliss in my life! |
| Kanavilum ninaivilum inai piriyaatha | Inseparable in dreams and in reality, |
| Kadhal jodi naamthaanae | We are indeed that loving pair! |
| Male | |
| Karpanai kanavilae naanoru | In my imaginary dream, I... |
| Kathaanaayagi yaaro… | Who is that heroine? |
| Female | |
| Un kadhaanayagi naano.. | Am I your heroine? |
கற்பனைக் கனவிலே நானொரு
கதாநாயகியைக் கண்டேன்
ஒரு கதாநாயகியைக் கண்டேன்....
In my imaginary dream, I...
Saw a heroine
Saw a heroine!
கற்பனைக் கனவிலே நானொரு
கதாநாயகியைக் கண்டேன்
ஒரு கதாநாயகியைக் கண்டேன்....
In my imaginary dream, I...
Saw a heroine
Saw a heroine!
அந்தக் கதாநாயகி யாரோ
காதல் பாட்டு பாடினாளோ
ஹிந்தி ட்யூனில் பாடினாளோ
இங்லீஷ் டான்ஸ்ஸூ ஆடினாளோ..
Who is that heroine?
Did she sing a love song?
Did she sing to a Hindi tune?
Did she perform an English dance?
அந்தக் கதாநாயகி யாரோ
காதல் பாட்டு பாடினாளோ
ஹிந்தி ட்யூனில் பாடினாளோ
இங்லீஷ் டான்ஸ்ஸூ ஆடினாளோ..
Singing in sweet Tamil,
Dancing like a movie star,
Flashing a smile and stirring up desire,
An international beauty!
சுவை தரும் தமிழில் பாடி
சினிமா ஸ்டார் போல் ஆடி
சிரிப்பு காட்டியே ஆசை மூட்டிய
இன்டர் நேஷனல் ப்யூட்டி
Eyes like black grapes,
Both cheeks like apples,
Speech captivating like a magnet,
I got a grand chance!
கறுப்பு திராட்சை போல் கண்கள்
கன்னம் இரண்டுமே ஆப்பிள்
காந்தம் போலவே கவரும் பேச்சு
கிடைத்ததே எனக்குச் சான்ஸ்ஸூ.....
In my imaginary dream, I...
Saw a heroine
கற்பனைக் கனவிலே நானொரு
கதாநாயகியைக் கண்டேன்
Leaping like a spotted deer,
Telling stories through her gaze,
As she playfully signaled with gestures,
Did you come flirting with her?
புள்ளி மானைப் போல் துள்ளி
பார்வையால் கதை சொல்லி
ஜாலியாய் அவள் ஜாடை பேசவே
சரசம் ஆடி வந்தீரோ
Seeing her beautiful smile,
Feeling a deep longing for her,
Calling her 'swan' and 'color of Ajanta',
Did you measure her with stacked poetic lines?
அழகு புன்னகை கண்டு
அவளிடம் ஆவல் கொண்டு
அன்னமே அஜந்தா வண்ணமே
எனவே அடுக்கு மொழியில் அளந்தீரோ
In my imaginary dream, I...
Saw a heroine
கற்பனைக் கனவினிலே வந்த
கதாநாயகி யாரோ.....
She arrived on a flying saucer,
She spotted me in the park,
The young maiden bantered playfully with me,
And came and stood right before me!
பறக்கும் தட்டிலே வந்தாள்
பார்க்கில் என்னையே கண்டாள்
பாவை என்னுடன் கேலி பேசியே
எதிரில் வந்து நிற்கின்றாள்.
I understood the whole matter,
I found bliss in my life!
Inseparable in dreams and in reality,
We are indeed that loving pair!
விஷயம் புரிந்து கொண்டேன்
வாழ்வினில் இன்பம் கண்டேன்
கனவிலும் நினைவிலும் இணை பிரியாத
காதல் ஜோடி நாம் தானே........
In my imaginary dream, I...
Who is that heroine?
கற்பனைக் கனவினிலே வந்த
கதாநாயகி யாரோ.....
Am I your heroine?
உன் கதாநாயகி நானோ...
Karpanai kanavilae naanoru
In my imaginary dream, I...
Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine
Oru kadhaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine!
Karpanai kanavilae naanoru
In my imaginary dream, I...
Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine
Oru kadhaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine!
Antha kadhaanaayagi yaaro
Who is that heroine?
Kadhal paattu paadinaalo
Did she sing a love song?
Hindi tune-yil paadinaalo
Did she sing to a Hindi tune?
English dance-u aadinaalo
Did she perform an English dance?
Suvai tharum tamizhil paadi
Singing in sweet Tamil,
Cineema star pol aadi
Dancing like a movie star,
Sirippu kaattiyae aasai moottiya
Flashing a smile and stirring up desire,
International beauty
An international beauty!
Karupppu thiratchai pol kangal
Eyes like black grapes,
Kannam irandumae apple
Both cheeks like apples,
Kaandham polavae kavarum pechu
Speech captivating like a magnet,
Kidaiththathae enaku chance-u
I got a grand chance!
Karpanai kanavilae naanoru
In my imaginary dream, I...
Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine
Pulli maanai pol thulli
Leaping like a spotted deer,
Paarvaiyaal kadhai solli
Telling stories through her gaze,
Jollyaai aval jaadai pesave
As she playfully signaled with gestures,
Sarasam aadi vantheero
Did you come flirting with her?
Azhagu punnagai kandu
Seeing her beautiful smile,
Avalidam aaval kondu
Feeling a deep longing for her,
Annamae ajandha vannamae
Calling her 'swan' and 'color of Ajanta',
Enavae adukku mozhiyil alantheero
Did you measure her with stacked poetic lines?
Karpanai kanavilae naanoru
In my imaginary dream, I...
Kathaanaayagiyai kandaen
Saw a heroine
Parakkum thattilae vanthaal
She arrived on a flying saucer,
Park-kil ennaiyae kandaal
She spotted me in the park,
Paavai ennudan keli pesiyae
The young maiden bantered playfully with me,
Edhiril vanthu nirkkindraal
And came and stood right before me!
Vishayam Purinthu kondaen
I understood the whole matter,
Vaahvini inbam kandaen
I found bliss in my life!
Kanavilum ninaivilum inai piriyaatha
Inseparable in dreams and in reality,
Kadhal jodi naamthaanae
We are indeed that loving pair!
Karpanai kanavilae naanoru
In my imaginary dream, I...
Kathaanaayagi yaaro…
Who is that heroine?
Un kadhaanayagi naano..
Am I your heroine?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This humorous and romantic duet from the film Kathanayaki (1955) captures a modern lover describing an idealized heroine seen in his dream, blending traditional imagery with contemporary Western and pop-culture influences. He portrays her as an 'international beauty' with grape-like eyes, apple cheeks, and stylish flair, capable of dancing and singing across cultural tropes. His partner playfully teases his vivid fantasy, questioning if he wooed this dream figure with sweet poetry before realizing that she herself is the true heroine of his life and dreams. Composed by G. Ramanathan and written by Kannadasan, the song reflects the mid-1950s trend of playful code-mixing and lighter romantic comedy in Tamil cinema music.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Karupppu thiratchai pol kangal”
Comparing her eyes to black grapes ('Karupppu thiratchai pol kangal') and her movement to a leaping deer ('Pulli maanai pol thulli').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kannam irandumae apple”
Directly comparing her cheeks to apples ('Kannam irandumae apple') and her voice to a magnet ('Kaandham polavae kavarum pechu').
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Pulli maanai pol thulli / Paarvaiyaal kadhai solli”
Matching second-consonant sounds in adjacent lines ('Pulli' and 'Paarvaiyaal' / 'thulli' and 'solli').
Code-Mixing (Tanglish / Borrowed Words)
“International beauty”
Innovative integration of contemporary English terms like 'apple', 'chance-u', 'International beauty', and 'Park-kil' into traditional Tamil verse.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kannadasan was one of the early Tamil lyricists to creatively weave English terms (like 'flying saucer', 'park', 'chance', and 'international beauty') into classical Tamil rhythmic structures, adding modern urban flair to 1950s cinema.
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