- Lyricist
- Kothamangalam Subbu
- Singer
- Sirkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- S. V. Venkatraman
- Movie name
- Irumbu Thirai – (1960)
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Sept 2025
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This revolutionary labor movement anthem from the 1960 movie Irumbu Thirai captures the intense anger, resilience, and unity of the working class rising up against capitalist exploitation and deceitful power structures. The song vows that workers will no longer fear hunger, illness, or oppressive masters, choosing instead to stand as brave as lions and demand social justice at all costs. Through sharp rhetoric, it addresses the mocking elites and capitalist masters who tread on the poor, warning them that the political and social tide is turning. It stresses that the working class will never bow to corrupt rulers nor forgive those who betrayed their trust.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Veeru kondu singampol”
Compares the brave forward march of united workers to a fearless lion using the marker 'pol'.
Repetition (Adukkuthodar)
“Enni enni thozhilaalar”
The word 'enni' (thinking/pondering) is repeated back-to-back to emphasize the continuous agony and brewing rage in the workers' minds.
Rhyme / Assonance (Edhugai)
“Kaali endrum kooli endrum”
Matching second consonants in 'Kaali' and 'kooli' creates a rhythmic cadence while capturing the derogatory labels used by oppressors.
Metaphor (Uruvakam)
“Kaaththu maari adikkuthu neer”
The expression 'Kaaththu maari adikkuthu' (the wind is changing direction) serves as a metaphor for the shifting social and political power dynamic.
Did you know?
Trivia
Irumbu Thirai (1960) was a remake of the Hindi hit Paigham (1959), produced and directed by S. S. Vasan under Gemini Studios. The song features Sirkazhi Govindarajan's thunderous vocals set to S. V. Venkatraman's music, written by Kothamangalam Subbu, serving as a powerful labor reform anthem reflecting the socialist film trends of that era.
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