Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Mudhalvanae

From Mudhalvan · 1999

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Shankar Mahadevan, S. Janaki
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Mudhalvan1999

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
{Ha ha ha hey hey hey{Ha ha ha hey hey hey
Ho ho ho ha ha ha ha} (2)Ho ho ho ha ha ha ha} (2)
Chorus
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
MudhalvanaeOh Chief Minister!
Female
Mudhalvanae ennai kan paaraaiOh Chief Minister, look at me with your eyes
Mundhaanai kodiyettra neram illaiyaaIs there no time to hoist the flag of my saree's end?
Oh kaadhal panjam vandhu nondhenae mOh, I am suffering from a famine of love
Muththa nivaaranam enakillaiyaaIs there no kiss as relief for me?
Vaalin osai ketkkum thalaivaaOh leader who hears the sound of swords
Valaiyalosai ketkkavillaiyaa…Do you not hear the sound of bangles?
Mudhalvaa …mudhalvaaLeader... Chief Minister
Chorus
Ha mudhalvaaHa, Chief Minister
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeOh Chief Minister...
MudhalvanaeOh Chief Minister!
Female
Ah ha ha aa..aaa…aaa…Ah ha ha aa..aaa…aaa…
Konja neram odhukki koondhal odhukkiSet aside a little time, brush aside my hair
Kurippu ezhundhungal endhan tholilWrite a note on my shoulders
Male
Ah ah ah ahAh ah ah ah
Peeli ondrai yedhuthu thaenil nanaithuTaking a peacock feather dipped in honey
Kaiyoppam iduven undhan maarbilI will sign on your chest
Female
Ulagham vaazha nidhi odhukkuAllocate funds so the world may live
En uyirum vaazha madhi odhukkuAllocate your wisdom so my life may live
Male :Arasan vaazha vidhi irukkuMale: There are rules for a king to live
Adharku needhaan vidhi vilakkuAnd you are an exception to those rules
Female
Mannanae… mannanaeOh King... Oh King
Idho ival unakku….Here, this woman belongs to you....
Chorus
Mudhalvaa vaa mudhalvaaCome Chief Minister, come Chief Minister
Mudhalvaa vaa mudhalvaaCome Chief Minister, come Chief Minister
Mudhalvaa vaa mudhalvaaCome Chief Minister, come Chief Minister
Mudhalvaa mudhalvaaChief Minister, Chief Minister
Chorus
{Ha ha ha hey hey hey{Ha ha ha hey hey hey
Ho ho ho ha ha ha ha} (2)Ho ho ho ha ha ha ha} (2)
Male :Mudhalvaa mudhalvaa hey heyMale: Chief Minister, Chief Minister hey hey
Female
Pallivaasal thirandhaai palli thirandhaaiYou opened mosques and opened schools
Palliyarai vara neramillaiyaaDo you have no time to enter the bedroom?
Male :Oh ooradangu thalarthi varigal thalarthiMale: Oh, lifting curfews and reducing taxes
Udaigal thalarthida vendum illaiyaaShouldn't clothes also be loosened?
Female
Aasai poovai thavikka vittuLeaving the flower of desire in anguish
Amaicharodu nagarvalamoAre you touring the city with ministers?
Male :Unadhu kannil neer thudaithaalMale: If I wipe the tears in your eyes
Oorkkuzhaayil neer varumoWill water flow from the town's public taps?
Female
Vendhanae vendhanaeOh King, Oh King
Undhan varam varumoWill your blessing arrive?
Female
Mudhalvanae ennai kan paaraaiOh Chief Minister, look at me with your eyes
Mundhaanai kodi yettra neram illaiyaaIs there no time to hoist the flag of my saree's end?
Male :HeyMale: Hey
Female :Kaadhal panjam vandhuFemale: A famine of love arrived
Male :NondhaaiyoMale: Did you suffer?
Female :Muththa nivaaranamFemale: Kiss relief
Male :Unnaku alippanMale: He will grant you
Female :Vaalin osaiFemale: The sound of swords
Male :Theerum bodhuMale: When it subsides
Female :Valaiyal osaiFemale: The sound of bangles
Male :KetkkavaruvanMale: He will come to hear
Chorus
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeMudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanae
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeMudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanae
Mudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanaeMudhalvanae vanae vanae vanae vanae
MudhalvanaeMudhalvanae
Chorus
…………………………………………….…………………………………………….

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Mudhalvanae' from the movie Mudhalvan (1999) is a playful and romantic track composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The heroine playfully addresses the hero, who has taken on the mantle of a Chief Minister (Mudhalvar), comparing political governance and public administration duties with romantic attention. She urges him to take a break from running the state, allocating funds, and visiting public places, and instead pay attention to her romantic longing ('kaadhal panjam'). The hero responds by highlighting his administrative responsibilities, questioning whether taking time off for love would solve the citizens' practical problems like water supply, while reassuring her that once his battle duties subside, he will return to her. Vairamuthu masterfully blends political terminology—such as taxes, curfews, relief funds, and cabinet ministers—with sensual and romantic metaphors.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Urvagathal)

Oh kaadhal panjam vandhu nondhenae / Muththa nivaaranam enakillaiyaa

Compares love deprivation to a famine ('kaadhal panjam') and a kiss to disaster relief funds ('muththa nivaaranam').

Contrast / Antithesis

Vaalin osai ketkkum thalaivaa / Valaiyalosai ketkkavillaiyaa…

Contrasts the harsh, metallic sound of battle weapons ('vaalin osai' - sword sounds) with the delicate, intimate sound of romance ('valaiyalosai' - bangle clinking).

Emoni / Alliteration (Monai)

Pallivaasal thirandhaai palli thirandhaai / Palliyarai vara neramillaiyaa

Repetition of initial consonant and vowel sounds ('Pallivaasal', 'palli', 'Palliyarai') creating a rhythmic poetic cadence.

Iyaibu (Rhyme / End Rhyme)

Ulagham vaazha nidhi odhukku / En uyirum vaazha madhi odhukku

Matching end sounds in lines like 'nidhi odhukku' and 'madhi odhukku'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the prompt leaves music director and singers as unknown, this iconic track was composed by A. R. Rahman for S. Shankar's blockbuster political thriller Mudhalvan (1999). It was sung by Shankar Mahadevan, Hariharan, and S. Janaki. Lyricist Vairamuthu won praise for inventively weaving political jargon (curfew, tax relief, budget allocation, minister tours) into romantic Tamil poetry.

Keep listening

More from Mudhalvan