- Lyricist
- Karunanithi
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Thookku Medai
- Movie release year
- 1982
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Mar 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Kudi Uyara Kol Uyarum is a powerful socio-political satire written by M. Karunanidhi for the film Thookku Medai (1982). The song bitterly subverts the traditional Tamil political maxim 'Kudi uyara kol uyarum' (When the citizens prosper, the ruler's scepter rises) by contrasting grand democratic ideals with the grim reality of severe poverty, homelessness, and systemic neglect. It mockingly details how the poor, lauded in political rhetoric as 'kings of the nation', actually live in fragile mud huts, sleep on pavements, and dodge oncoming luxury traffic.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Satire
“Eththanai azhagaai eththanai valamaai / Engal makkal saagiraar / Eriyum nerupil vegiraar Explanation: Sarcastic contrast between "beautifully and richly" and”
Subversion of Proverb
“Kudi uyara kol uyarum / Kol uyara kodi uyarum Explanation: A traditional Tamil proverb on righteous governance is invoked mockingly to highlight the stark contrast with actual poverty. }, { "device": "Metaphor / Contrast", "line": "Muththellaam mookku sali / Raththa kaayam raththinamaam", "explanation": "Re-imagines extreme destitution by poetically comparing nasal discharge to pearls, wounds to rubies, and stars to diamonds." }, { "device": "Edhugai (Tamil Second-letter Rhyme)", "line": "Kuththukkallu simmaasanam / Kuppa thotti rajaangam", "explanation": "Uses second-letter rhyming ('th' / 'p') along with parallel structures to contrast street garbage and stones with royal thrones and kingdoms." } ], "trivia": "'Thookku Medai' was originally a famous political stage play written in the 1950s by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi. The play held immense significance in the Dravidian movement and was later adapted into a film in 1982 starring Chandrasekhar and Nagesh, with music composed by Shankar-Ganesh and vocals by Malaysia Vasudevan." }”
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Trivia
The song's lyrics were written by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi, based on his iconic socio-political stage play 'Thookku Medai', which was later adapted into the 1982 film.
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