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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mei Nigara

From 24 · 2016

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singers
Sid Sriram, Sanah Moidutty, Jonita Gandhi
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
242016

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae sittukkariDon't run away, sparrow-like girl
Oodathae thithikDon't run away, sweet...
Oodathae sittuDon't run away, sparrow...
Ooda oodathaeDon't run, don't run away
Ooda oodathaeDon't run, don't run away
Oodathae thithikkari ooDon't run away, sweet girl, oh
Oodathae pottukkari ooDon't run away, girl with the bindi, oh
Chellam oodathaeDarling, don't run away
Male
Mei nigara mellidaiyaeSlender-waisted girl who resembles reality
Female :Aa..aaa…oodathaeFemale: Ah... aaa... don't run away
Male :Poi nigara poongodiyaeMale: Flower-creeper girl who resembles an illusion
Female :Oodathae pottukkariFemale: Don't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Male
ArasiyaeMy queen
AdimaiyaeMy slave
Azhagiyae…My beautiful girl...
ArakkiyaeMy demoness
Un vizhiyal mozhiyaalWith your eyes and your words
Pozhinthaal ennaavenIf you shower love, what will become of me?
Un azhagaal siripaalWith your beauty and your smile
Adiththaal ennaavenIf you strike me, what will become of me?
Enakkenna aayinumWhatever happens to me
Sirippathai niruthathaeDo not stop smiling
Female
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Male
ArasiyaeMy queen
AdimaiyaeMy slave
AzhagiyaeMy beautiful girl
ArakkiyaeMy demoness
Mei nigara mellidaiyaeSlender-waisted girl who resembles reality
Poi nigara poongodiyaeFlower-creeper girl who resembles an illusion
Female
ArasanaeMy king
AdimaiyaeMy slave
KirukanaeCrazy man
Eh…eh…eh arakkanaeEh... eh... eh, my demon
Female
En imaiyae imaiyaeMy eyelash, my eyelash
Imaiyae imaikathaeEyelash, do not blink
Ithu kanava nanavaIs this a dream or reality?
Kulappam samamikkathaeDo not try to balance this confusion
Male
ArasiyaeMy queen
Adimaiyae…My slave...
Azhagiyae…My beautiful girl...
Arakkiyae…My demoness...
Ohh..oh..ohh..Ohh..oh..ohh..
Female
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae oodathaeDon't run away, don't run away
Ooda ohh oodathaeDon't run, ohh, don't run away
Male
Yeh.. unnai siru sirithaiHey.. I shot a small arrow of love at you
Eithenae ohh…ohh…ohhTargeted you, ohh...ohh...ohh
Female :Naan unthanFemale: I fell
Valaiyil vizhunthenae ohh…ohh…ohhInto your net, ohh...ohh...ohh
Male
PullanguzhalaeFlute-like tune
Vellai vayalaeWhite field
Female :Pattam puliyaeFemale: Kite-tiger
Guitar oliyaeSound of a guitar
Mittai kuyilaeCandy-like cuckoo
Ohh…ohh rekkai muyalaeOhh...ohh, winged rabbit
Female
Oodathae pottukkariDon't run away, girl with the bindi
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Male
ArasiyaeMy queen
Female :Kadhalil paninthiduFemale: Bow down in love
Male :AdimaiyaeMale: My slave
Female :Viduthalai seithiduFemale: Set me free
Male :AzhagiyaeMale: My beautiful girl
Female :Nee vanthu paraviduFemale: Come and spread like fragrance
Male :ArakkiyaeMale: My demoness
Female :Naan naan adangidaFemale: So that I may surrender
Male
Un vizhiyaal mozhiyaalWith your eyes and your words
Pozhinthaal ennavenIf you shower love, what will become of me?
Un azhagaal siripaalWith your beauty and your smile
Adiththaal ennaavenIf you strike me, what will become of me?
Enakkenna aayinumWhatever happens to me
Sirippathai niruthathaeDo not stop smiling
Male
Ohh..Ohh…Ohh..Ohh…Ohh..Ohh…Ohh..Ohh…
Female :OodathaeFemale: Don't run away
Male
Mm…mm… mmmm…mm..Mm…mm… mmmm…mm..
Mm…mm…mm..Mm…mm…mm..
Male
Thinam puthithai pudhu pudhithaiEvery day anew, brand new
Aavaayaa ohh…ohh..ohh..Will you become mine? Ohh...ohh..ohh..
Female :Ovvor nodyium nodiyumFemale: Every single second, second
Thik thik thik ohh…ohh..ohh..Heart going thik thik thik, ohh...ohh..ohh..
Male
Pesum pani neeYou are speaking dew
Aasai pini neeYou are the illness of desire
Female :Vinmeen nuni neeFemale: You are the tip of a star
En meen ini neeYou are my fish from now on
Hey inbakkani neeHey, you are a fruit of joy
Kamban veetukkani neeYou are the poem from Kamban's house
Female
ArasanaeMy king
Male :Kalangalai jeyiththiduMale: Conquer the ages and time
Female :AdimaiyaeFemale: My slave
Male :Sangili udaiththiduMale: Break the chains
Female :ArakkanaeFemale: My demon
Male :En kobam irakkiduMale: Calm my anger down
Female :Kik kik kirukkanaeFemale: Crazy man
Male :Kik kik kirukkidiMale: Crazy girl
Male
En imaiyae imaiyae…My eyelash, my eyelash...
Imaiyae imaiyaagaAs an eyelash protects the eye
Ival karainthaal pirinthaalIf she melts or leaves
Vaalvae amaiyathaeLife will not be complete
Female
Enakkenna aanalumWhatever happens to me
Padaippathai thalarthathaeDo not slacken your creation
Male :Enakkenna aayinumMale: Whatever happens to me
Sirippathai niruthathaeDo not stop smiling
Female
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, sweet girl
Oodathae thithikDon't run away, sweet...
Oodathae thithikDon't run away, sweet...
Oodathae oodathaeDon't run away, don't run away
Oodathae oodathae thithikkariDon't run away, don't run away sweet girl
Oodathae thithikkari ooDon't run away, sweet girl, oh
Oodathae pottukkari ooDon't run away, girl with the bindi, oh
Chellam oodathaeDarling, don't run away

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Mei Nigara' (Oodathae Thithikkari) from the science-fiction film '24' is a playful, romantic duet featuring whimsical, modern Tamil wordplay by Madhan Karky. The male protagonist playfully chases his lover, addressing her with contrasting endearments such as 'Arasiyae' (Queen), 'Adimaiyae' (Slave), 'Azhagiyae' (Beautiful woman), and 'Arakkiyae' (Demoness), capturing the chaotic yet delightful emotional swings of romantic obsession. The lyricist weaves vivid imagery, modern metaphors, and rhythmic oxymorons to portray love as a mix of illusion, excitement, and endless joy. The song celebrates youthful passion where time, space, and emotion blur together, urging the lover never to stop smiling or running into his arms.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Oxymoron / Paradox (Ethirmarai Sorkal)

Arasiyae / Adimaiyae / Azhagiyae / Arakkiyae

Contradictory terms like 'Arasiyae' (Queen) paired immediately with 'Adimaiyae' (Slave), and 'Azhagiyae' (Beautiful lady) paired with 'Arakkiyae' (Demoness) are used to emphasize total emotional surrender and playful teasing.

Monorhyme and Alliteration (Monai and Ethukai)

Oodathae thithikkari / Oodathae pottukkari / Oodathae sittukkari

The repetitive rhyme scheme featuring 'Oodathae' paired with rhyming descriptors ending in '-kari' (thithikkari, pottukkari, sittukkari) creates a rhythmic driving pulse.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Pesum pani nee / Aasai pini nee

Comparing the beloved to abstract and sensory objects such as 'Pesum pani' (speaking dew) and 'Aasai pini' (illness of desire).

Did you know?

Trivia

The track 'Mei Nigara' was composed by A.R. Rahman for Vikram K. Kumar's time-travel sci-fi thriller '24' (2016). Sung by Sid Sriram, Sanah Moidutty, and Jonita Gandhi, Madhan Karky coined unique modern Tamil compound words and rhyming combinations like 'Mei nigara' (Virtual / Real-like) to fit the futuristic yet romantic aesthetic of the film.

Keep listening

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