- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Leela
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Kathanayaki
- Movie release year
- 1955
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Sept 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This meta-theatrical, lively song expresses the grand ambitions of an aspiring performative artist who dreams of theatrical stardom. She boldly proclaims her ability to perform various 'rasas' (emotions) such as romance (kadhal), tragedy/sorrow (sogam), heroism (veeram), and rhythmic classical dance (thillana) on stage. She visualizes a future where crowds gather, fans line up for autographs, journalists wait at her doorstep, and audiences cheer for an 'encore'. Composed by G. Ramanathan and written by Kannadasan for the 1955 film Kathanayaki, the song uniquely blends classical theatrical expressions with modern show-business terminology, showcasing the protagonist's dramatic versatility and charismatic theatrical ambition.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Suttri vanthu janangalellaam / Etti etti paarkkanum”
Matching of the second consonant across consecutive lines, such as 'Suttri' and 'Etti'.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Etti etti paarkkanum ... Autograph kekkanum ... Vaasalilae kaakkanum”
Repetition of ending verbal suffixes '-anum' across multiple lines to create a rhythmic cadence ('paarkkanum', 'kekkanum', 'kaakkanum').
Code-Mixing / Loanwords (Manipravalam Style with English)
“Star-ai pola naanum vanthaal / Dancing pose-yil ennaikkandu”
Early usage of English show-business loanwords ('Autograph', 'Star', 'Dancing pose', 'claps', 'Oncemore', 'comming notice') integrated seamlessly into Tamil lyrical meter.
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Kodi naattuven vettri / Kodi naattuven”
Repetition of the phrase 'Kodi naattuven' to reinforce confidence and victory.
Did you know?
Trivia
In the 1950s Tamil cinema, incorporating contemporary English loanwords like 'Autograph', 'editor', 'stage', and 'Oncemore' into classical-based musical compositions was a novel technique pioneered by Kannadasan to capture urban theatrical culture and humorously highlight modern stardom ambitions.
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