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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nee Poiya

From Isai · 2015

Lyricist
Madhan Karky
Singer
Vijay Yesudas
Music director
S. J. Surya
Details
Isai2015

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Naan kaanbadhuIs what I am seeing
Ingu unmaiyaareal here?
Hey uyirae en uyiraeOh life, my life,
Nee saagaadhirudo not die.
Male
Naan vazhvadhaeIs my living itself
Ingu unmaiyaareal here?
En manamae en manamaeOh my heart, my heart,
Nee veezhaadhirudo not fall.
Male
Enai sutta nilavu poiyaaWas the moon that burned me a lie?
Enai thotta thendral poiyaaWas the breeze that touched me a lie?
Nee itta mutham poiyaaWas the kiss you gave a lie?
Pennae nee meiyaa illai poiyaaGirl, are you truth or a lie?
Male
Siruoru idhayathaiA small heart
Marupadi marupadiagain and again
Ulagamae midhithadhadiwas trampled by the world.
Valiyilum thuyarilumIn pain and sorrow,
Kulambiya irudhayamthe confused heart
Unakena thudithadhadibeat only for you.
Male
Veezhgayil naan veezhgayilWhen I fall, when I fall,
Un kaadhal thaangumadiyour love will hold me.
Neeyumae poi aaginaalIf even you become a lie,
En uyirae neengumadimy life will depart.
Nee poiyaaAre you a lie?
Male
Yaar kettadhuWho asked for
Indha kaadhalaithis love?
Ye vizhiyae nee avalaiOh eyes, why did you
Yen kaatinaaishow her to me?
Male
Yaar kettadhuWho asked for
Indha poiyinaithis lie?
En manamae nee enayaeOh my mind, why did you
Yen emaattrinaaideceive me?
Male
Aval oodal muluvadhum poiyaaWas all her playful sulking a lie?
Aval vizhiyin mozhigal poiyaaWere the words of her eyes a lie?
Aval mutham motham poiyaaWas her kiss entirely a lie?
Enakaai thudithaalae adhu poiyaaWhen her heart beat for me, was that a lie?
Male
Kanavugal vilaivadhumDreams growing,
Kanavugal kalaivadhumand dreams shattering,
Dhinam dhinam nigalvadhadihappens every single day.
Oru yuga ninaivinaiMemories of an epoch
Nodiyinil udaipadhushattering in a second
Kodumayin kodumaiyadiis the cruelty of cruelties!
Male
Pillai pol siru pillai polLike a child, like a little child,
En nenjam kondirundhenI held my heart.
Mullai pol ormullai polLike a jasmine flower, like a jasmine,
Adhil unnai sumandhirundhenI bore you upon it.
KilikindrenI am tearing apart.
Male
KaatrindiyaeWithout air,
Ingu vaasamaais there fragrance here?
Ye malarae yen idhalaalOh flower, why with your petals
Nee poi pesinaaidid you speak lies?
Male
Vaan indriyaeWithout the sky,
Ingu thooralaais there drizzle here?
Ye mugilae yen thuliyaaiOh cloud, why with your drops
Ne poi pesinaaidid you speak lies?
Male
Avalin vizhiyin kanmai unmaiThe kohl in her eyes is real,
Aval idhalin menmai unmaithe softness of her lips is real,
Aval penmai kooda unmaiher womanhood itself is real.
Meiyae poi endraal edhu unmai …If truth itself is a lie, then what is truth?
Male
Avalaiyum isaiyaiyumHer and music,
Enadhiru vizhiyenaas my two eyes,
Ulagathai rasithirundhenI enjoyed the world.
Vizhigalil pilai illaiThere is no fault in my eyes,
Ulagamae dhidumenabut when the world suddenly
Irundida kulambi nindrenturned dark, I stood bewildered.
Male
Aimbulan en aimbulanMy five senses, my five senses
Unnai aiyyam kolludhadidoubt you.
Nenjamo en nenjamoBut my heart, oh my heart
Adhai yetrida marukkudhadirefuses to accept it.
Male
Edhu unmai …..What is truth?
Edhu unmai……What is truth?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song captures a poignant existential and emotional crisis experienced by the protagonist. Overwhelmed by betrayal or a sudden reality-shattering revelation, he questions whether his beloved, her expressions of love, and even his own existence are real or mere illusions. He reflects on how he cherished his love alongside music as his two primary windows to the world, only to be plunged into utter confusion and darkness.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Paradox / Imagery

Enai sutta nilavu poiyaa

Attributes scorching heat to the cool moonlight, expressing intense emotional torment.

Simile (Uwamai)

Pillai pol siru pillai pol

Compares his innocent heart to a small child and the beloved/love to a delicate jasmine flower.

Rhetorical Question

Pennae nee meiyaa illai poiyaa

Repeated questioning of truth versus falsehood highlights the protagonist's deep psychological disorientation.

Metaphor

Avalaiyum isaiyaiyum Enadhiru vizhiyena Ulagathai rasithirundhen

Equates his love and music to his two eyes through which he appreciated the beauty of the world.

Did you know?

Trivia

This emotional track is from the psychological thriller film 'Isai' (2015). Unusually, director S. J. Surya made his debut as a full-fledged film music composer with this film, scoring the entire soundtrack himself while Madhan Karky penned the lyrics.

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