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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maro Maro

From Boys · 2003

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Karthik, George, Anupama, Sunitha Sarathy
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Boys2003

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Chauka chakka sow maaroHit fours, sixes, and hundreds
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Boys kaiyil tomorrowTomorrow is in the hands of the boys
Male
Merae salaamMy greetings
Naam isaiyaal pesalaamLet us speak through music
Abdul kalamFrom Abdul Kalam
Kaiyaal virudhugal vaangalaamLet us receive awards from his hands
Male
Delhi bombay calcuttaDelhi, Bombay, Calcutta
Isaiyaal sundi izhukkattaaShall we pull them in with music?
London melbourne atlantaLondon, Melbourne, Atlanta
Engum kaithattaaLet everyone clap hands everywhere
Male
Eppa eppa sadaiyappaHey Sadaiyappa
Aaru perum padaiyappaAll six of us are like Padaiyappa
Pazhasai vidhiyaiBreak the old tradition,
Thadayai udaiyappa ye yeye yeBreak the barrier, yeah yeah yeah
Male
Break the rules…Break the rules...
Chorus :Oh..yeah..Chorus: Oh..yeah..
Male :Break the rulesMale: Break the rules
Chorus :Oh..yeah..Chorus: Oh..yeah..
Male
Break the rulesBreak the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male :Break the ru…uuulesMale: Break the ru...uuules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Chauka chakka sow maaroHit fours, sixes, and hundreds
Female :Maaro maaro….maaro maaroFemale: Hit it, hit it....hit it, hit it
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Boys kaiyil tomorrowTomorrow is in the hands of the boys
Female :Oh ..yeahFemale: Oh ..yeah
Chorus
Ah..ah ah ah hah..Ah..ah ah ah hah..
Ah..ah ah ah hah..Ah..ah ah ah hah..
Ah..ah ah ah hah..Ah..ah ah ah hah..
Ah..ah ah ah hah..Ah..ah ah ah hah..
Ah..ah ah ah hah….yeeeeeeAh..ah ah ah hah....yeeeeee
Ah..ah ah ah hah..Ah..ah ah ah hah..
Male
Kaadhil valaiyam potta thappu….Wearing an earring is wrong....
Mudiyil colour adichaa thappu…Coloring your hair is wrong...
Udambil tattoo kuththinaa thappu….Getting a tattoo on your body is wrong....
Friends kooda suthinaa thappu….Hanging out with friends is wrong....
Female
Thoppulil valaiyam pottaa thappuWearing a belly ring is wrong
Tightaa pantu pottaa thappuWearing tight pants is wrong
Pedicure thappu manicure thappuPedicure is wrong, manicure is wrong
Waxing thappu threading thappuWaxing is wrong, threading is wrong
Male
Night romba muzhichaa thappuStaying up late at night is wrong
9 O clock ezhundhaa thappuWaking up at 9 o'clock is wrong
Thappu thappu thappuWrong, wrong, wrong
Female
Vaai vittu sirichaa thappuLaughing out loud is wrong
Sombal thaan murichaa thappuStretching laziness is wrong
Vittaakka innum solvaandaaIf left unchecked, they will keep listing more wrong things
Male
Break the rulesBreak the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male :Break the rulesMale: Break the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male
Break the rulesBreak the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male :Break the ru…uuulesMale: Break the ru...uuules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Chorus
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Ye yeye yeye…Ye yeye yeye…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Aah aaahhhhaaa…Aah aaahhhhaaa…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Ye yeye yeye…Ye yeye yeye…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Male
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Chauka chakka sow maaroHit fours, sixes, and hundreds
Female :Maaro maaro….maaro maaroFemale: Hit it, hit it....hit it, hit it
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Boys kaiyil tomorrowTomorrow is in the hands of the boys
Female :Oh ..yeahFemale: Oh ..yeah
Male
Merae salaamMy greetings
Naam isaiyaal pesalaamLet us speak through music
Abdul kalamFrom Abdul Kalam
Kaiyaal virudhugal vaangalaamLet us receive awards from his hands
Male
Exam fees-ai suttaa thappuStealing exam fees is wrong
Pareetchai neram criket thappuPlaying cricket during exams is wrong
Veettukku late aa vandhaa thappuComing home late is wrong
Fashion channel paarthaa thappuWatching fashion channels is wrong
Female
Hrithik roshanai rasichchaa thappuAdmiring Hrithik Roshan is wrong
Phone il arattai adichchaa thappuChatting on the phone is wrong
Mottai maadiyil ninnaa thappuStanding on the rooftop is wrong
Badhilukku badhil sonnaa thappuAnswering back is wrong
Male
Panchum neruppum paarthaa thappuWhen cotton and fire meet it's wrong
Panchum panchum sernthaa thappuWhen cotton and cotton join it's wrong
Thappu thappu thappu…thappuWrong, wrong, wrong... wrong
Female
Utkaarnthaa thappu thappuSitting down is wrong, wrong
Ninnaakkaa thappu thappuStanding up is wrong, wrong
Vittaakkaa innum solvaandaaIf left unchecked, they will keep listing more wrong things
Male
Break the rulesBreak the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male :Break the rulesMale: Break the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Chauka chakka sow maaroHit fours, sixes, and hundreds
Female :Maaro maaro….maaro maaroFemale: Hit it, hit it....hit it, hit it
Maaro maaroHit it, hit it
Boys kaiyil tomorrowTomorrow is in the hands of the boys
Female :Oh ..yeahFemale: Oh ..yeah
Male
Merae salaamMy greetings
Naam isaiyaal pesalaamLet us speak through music
Abdul kalamFrom Abdul Kalam
Kaiyaal virudhugal vaangalaamLet us receive awards from his hands
Male
Delhi bombay calcuttaDelhi, Bombay, Calcutta
Isaiyaal sundi izhukkattaaShall we pull them in with music?
London melbourne atlantaLondon, Melbourne, Atlanta
Engum kaithattaaLet everyone clap hands everywhere
Male
Eppa eppa sadaiyappaHey Sadaiyappa
Aaru perum padaiyappaAll six of us are like Padaiyappa
Pazhasai vidhiyaiBreak the old tradition,
Thadayai udaiyappa ye yeye yeBreak the barrier, yeah yeah yeah
Male
Break the rules…Break the rules...
Chorus :Oh..yeah..Chorus: Oh..yeah..
Male :Break the rulesMale: Break the rules
Chorus :Oh..yeah..Chorus: Oh..yeah..
Male
Break the rulesBreak the rules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Male :Break the ru…uuulesMale: Break the ru...uuules
Chorus :Oh ..yeahChorus: Oh ..yeah
Chorus
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Ye yeye yeye…Ye yeye yeye…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Aah aaahhhhaaa…Aah aaahhhhaaa…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Ye yeye yeye…Ye yeye yeye…
Oyaiya yae oooooohooOyaiya yae oooooohoo
Male
Break the rules….Break the rules….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Break the Rules' (Maaro Maaro) from Shankar's 2003 film 'Boys' is an energetic youth anthem composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Vaali. The song represents the voice of the younger generation rebelling against conservative societal constraints and older generations' stifling definitions of what is right and wrong. It humorously lists a barrage of everyday activities deemed 'wrong' (thappu) by elders—ranging from hair color, tattoos, and piercings to sleeping late or admiring celebrities. Amidst this rebellion, the lyrics express ambition and hope, calling on youth to break conventional boundaries, embrace their passion for music, and aspire to win national accolades from leaders like Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Through vibrant pop and hip-hop influences, the track celebrates youth empowerment, brotherhood, and the drive to shape a broader global identity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Repetition (Thodai / Edhirpaattu)

Kaadhil valaiyam potta thappu... Mudiyil colour adichaa thappu...

The word 'thappu' (wrong) is repeated at the end of nearly every line in the verses to create a rhythmic, cumulative emphasis on societal restrictions.

Emona / Rhyme (Monai)

Delhi bombay calcutta / Isaiyaal sundi izhukkattaa

The initial rhyming of words in consecutive lines (e.g., 'Maaro' / 'Boys', 'Merae' / 'Naam', 'Delhi' / 'Isaiyaal').

Metaphor / Cultural Allusion

Aaru perum padaiyappa / Panchum neruppum paarthaa thappu

Allusion to Rajinikanth's iconic character 'Padaiyappa' symbolizing strength and dominance, as well as 'Panchum neruppum' (cotton and fire) metaphor for romantic attraction.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Boys' marked the acting debut of several stars including Siddharth, Genelia D'Souza, Bharath, Nakkhul, Thaman S (who later became a leading music director), and Manikandan. The song explicitly references Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who was serving as the President of India when the movie released in 2003.

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