- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, Gangai Amaran
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Aruvadai Naal
- Movie release year
- 1986
- Lyrics added on
- 2 Sept 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Naanga Seiyiradhellaam' is a satirical, social-commentary song from the 1986 Tamil film Aruvadai Naal. The song features young men addressing an old woman and society at large, asking for forgiveness for their youthful foolishness while requesting people to accept only the constructive aspects of their social service. Through lively dialogue and rhythmic verses, the youth address social problems such as poverty, population growth, social service hypocrisy, and economic divides. The lyrics use self-deprecating humor and sharp satire to critique modern society—highlighting how independence was misused, how economic poverty coexists with high entertainment consumption, and how monetary status creates unnatural artificial divides among working-class people. Ultimately, the song serves as a call for self-awakening and active social change.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edugai & Monai (Tamil Rhyme & Alliteration)
“Paadangalum yeravilla / Pallikkoodam pogavilla”
The pairing of 'Paadangalum yeravilla' and 'Pallikkoodam pogavilla' employs initial letter alliteration (Monai) and middle syllable rhyming (Edugai), creating a rhythmic street-play beat.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Aathu manal eduthu kayiru thirippom”
Making a rope out of river sand ('Aathu manal eduthu kayiru thirippom') is an exaggerated metaphor representing extreme ingenuity, wit, or clever exaggeration.
Allusion
“Naangalellaam gandhi illa / Oruthan kooda buthan illa”
Direct reference to Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha to highlight human flaws and acknowledge that ordinary people fall short of ideal moral perfection.
Did you know?
Trivia
Aruvadai Naal (1986) was directed by G. M. Kumar and produced by Sivaji Productions, starring Prabhu and Ramya Krishnan. The film's musical score was composed by maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran. The song uniquely blends theatrical street-play dialogues with rhythmic folk tunes.
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