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Batsha album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Naan Autokaran

From Batsha · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Batsha
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
1 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Naan autokaaran autokaaran
Naalum therinja routukaaran
Nyaayam ulla rateukaaran
Nallavanga kootukaaran
Nalla paadum paatukaaran
Gandhi porandha naatukaaran
Kambeduthaa vetta kaaran
Ezhiyavanga oravukaaran
Erakam ulla manasukaaranda
Naan ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Naan eppozhuthum ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Ada ajakunna ajaku thaan
Gumukuna gumuku thaan
Naan autokaaran autokaaran
Naalum therinja routukaaran
Nyaayam ulla rateukaaran
Ooru perusachu sanathoga peruthachu
Aahaa ooru perusachu sanathoga peruthachu
Busa yethirpaathu paadhi vayasachu
Vaazhka paraparakum nerathilae
Irupom saalaigalin orathilae
{ Ada kan adicha kaadhal varum solraanga
Neenga kai thattina auto varum solrenga} (2) haan
Munthi varum paaru idhu moonu sakara theru
Nanmai vandhu serum nee nambi vandhu yeru
Erakam ulla manasukaaranda
Naan ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Naan eppozhuthum ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Ajakunna ajaku thaan
Gumukuna gumuku thaan
Naan autokaaran autokaaran
Naalum therinja routukaaran
Nyaayam ulla rateukaaran
{ Jeajaa jega jeyajaa jega jeyajaa jeyajaa } (2)
{ Jegajajega jagajaa jegajajega jagajaa } (2)
{ Yaiyaa yaia yaiyaa yaia yaiyaa yaiyaa } (2)
Aaa amma thaai maarae aabathil vidamaten
Yae amma thaai maarae aabathil vidamaten
Veyilo puyal mazhaiyo matenu sollamaten
Angangae pasi eduthaa palakaaram
Alavu saapadu oru neram
{ Naan prasavathuku ilavasama vaarenma
Un pillaikoru peru vachum thaarenmaa } (2)
Ezhuthilaatha aalum ada engala nambi varuvaan
Addressilla theruvum indha autokaaran arivaan
Erakam ulla manasukaaranda
Naan ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Naan eppozhuthum ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Ajakunna ajaku thaan
Gumukuna gumuku thaan
Naan autokaaran autokaaran
Naalum therinja routukaaran
Nyaayam ulla rateukaaran
Nallavanga kootukaaran
Nalla paadum paatukaaran
Gandhi porandha naatukaaran
Kambeduthaa vetta kaaran
Ezhiyavanga oravukaaran
Erakam ulla manasukaaranda
Naan ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Naan eppozhuthum ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da
Ada ajakunna ajaku thaan
Gumukuna gumuku thaan
Ajakunna ajaku thaan
Gumukuna gumuku thaan
I am an auto driver, an auto driver!
A guy who knows every single route every day!
A guy who charges honest and fair fares!
A true friend to good people!
A singer who sings great songs!
A man from the land where Gandhi was born!
A fierce fighter if I pick up a staff!
A kin to the poor and humble!
I am a man with a compassionate heart!
I am family to all the poor!
I am always family to all the poor!
Ah, if we rock, we really rock!
If we strike, it is a solid hit!
I am an auto driver, an auto driver!
A guy who knows every single route every day!
A guy who charges honest and fair fares!
The city has grown huge, and the population has swelled!
Aha, the city has grown huge, and the population has swelled!
Half of our life passes away just waiting for the bus!
While life rushes by in a flurry,
We will always be standing right by the roadside!
They say love blossoms if you wink,
And you say an auto arrives if you just clap your hands! Haan!
Look at it rush ahead, this three-wheeled chariot!
Good things will come to you, hop in with trust!
I am a man with a compassionate heart!
I am family to all the poor!
I am always family to all the poor!
If we rock, we really rock!
If we strike, it is a solid hit!
I am an auto driver, an auto driver!
A guy who knows every single route every day!
A guy who charges honest and fair fares!
{ Jeyaja jega jeyaja jega jeyaja jeyaja }
{ Jegajajega jagaja jegajajega jagaja }
{ Yaiyya yaiya yaiyya yaiya yaiyya yaiyya }
Ah, dear mothers and sisters, I will never leave you in trouble!
Hey, dear mothers and sisters, I will never leave you in trouble!
Be it scorching sun or stormy rain, I will never say no!
Whenever I get hungry along the way, just a quick snack!
A simple fixed meal once a day!
I will drive you free of charge to the hospital for childbirth, mother,
And I will even name your newborn child!
Even a man who cannot read comes to us with complete trust!
And this auto driver knows even a street without an address!
I am a man with a compassionate heart!
I am family to all the poor!
I am always family to all the poor!
If we rock, we really rock!
If we strike, it is a solid hit!
I am an auto driver, an auto driver!
A guy who knows every single route every day!
A guy who charges honest and fair fares!
A true friend to good people!
A singer who sings great songs!
A man from the land where Gandhi was born!
A fierce fighter if I pick up a staff!
A kin to the poor and humble!
I am a man with a compassionate heart!
I am family to all the poor!
I am always family to all the poor!
Ah, if we rock, we really rock!
If we strike, it is a solid hit!
If we rock, we really rock!
If we strike, it is a solid hit!
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Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Naan Autokaaran is the iconic hero-introduction song from the 1995 Tamil blockbuster movie Baashha, starring Rajinikanth. Written by Vairamuthu and set to music by Deva, the song introduces the protagonist Manickam, a humble, honest, and high-principled auto-rickshaw driver in Chennai. The lyrics celebrate the working-class auto-driver community, highlighting values like fairness, empathy toward the poor, patriotism, and selfless service during emergencies. Through energetic rhythm and colloquial language, the song metaphorically elevates the humble auto-rickshaw into a three-wheeled chariot serving the public. It establishes the hero's helpful persona, contrasting his simple daily life with a strong moral backbone and willingness to fight for justice.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Munthi varum paaru idhu moonu sakara theru

The auto-rickshaw ('moonu sakara') is metaphorically compared to a temple chariot ('theru') that brings goodness and serves people.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Naan autokaaran autokaaran / Naalum therinja routukaaran / Nyaayam ulla rateukaaran

Continuous use of the suffix '-kaaran' at the end of consecutive lines creates a strong monorhyme pattern typical of folk-style hero anthems.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Erakam ulla manasukaaranda / Naan ezhaikellam sondhakaaran da

Matching second consonants across lines ('r' in Erakam / Naan ezhaikellam) gives rhythm to the verse.

Did you know?

Trivia

Naan Autokaaran became an instant cultural phenomenon upon the release of Baashha in 1995. Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam with music by Deva, the song turned into an anthem for auto-rickshaw drivers across Tamil Nadu. To this day, many auto drivers in Tamil Nadu display pictures of Rajinikanth from this film on their vehicles.

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