Nenjukku Mugame
From Maadi Veettu Mappillai · 1967
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- T. Chalapathi Rao
- Details
- Maadi Veettu Mappillai1967
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum | Even if you hide it from the town, |
| Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum | Even if you hide it from the town, |
| Odum vizhigal thalladi | The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away. |
| Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Female | |
| Sabai ariyaamal nadakkum | It moves quietly without the assembly noticing, |
| Adhu thalai mudhal kaalvarai alakkum | It measures from head to toe. |
| Sabai ariyaamal nadakkum | It moves quietly without the assembly noticing, |
| Adhu thalai mudhal kaalvarai alakkum | It measures from head to toe. |
| Idai daiyae konjam sirikkum | It smiles softly in between, |
| Adhu yezhaiyin pasipol irukkum irukkum | It lingers endlessly like the hunger of the poor. |
| Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Male | |
| Aasaiyai pala naal adakkum | It suppresses desires for many days, |
| Andha adakathilae udal ilaikkum | And in that suppression, the body grows frail. |
| Aasaiyai pala naal adakkum | It suppresses desires for many days, |
| Andha adakathilae udal ilaikkum | And in that suppression, the body grows frail. |
| Female :Aayinum nenjathai maraikum | Female: Yet it conceals the heart's true thoughts; |
| Adhu aangalukku engae irukkum irukkum | Where do men ever possess such self-restraint? |
| Male :Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | Male: The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Male | |
| Pennukku ragasiyam yedhu | What secret can a woman truly hold, |
| Thalai pinnalum pesidum podhu | When even the sway of her braided hair speaks? |
| Pennukku ragasiyam yedhu | What secret can a woman truly hold, |
| Thalai pinnalum pesidum podhu | When even the sway of her braided hair speaks? |
| Female :Kannukku thirai kidaiyadhu | Female: The eyes have no curtain to hide behind; |
| Adhu kalandha pinn vilaguvadhuyedhu | Once they meet, how can they ever be parted? |
| Both :Nenjukku mugamae kannadi | Both: The face is a mirror to the heart, |
| Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi | It reveals what you think beforehand. |
| Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum | Even if you hide it from the town, |
| Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum | Even if you hide it from the town, |
| Odum vizhigal thalladi | The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away. |
| Nenjukku un nenjukku ….hahahaha…. | For the heart, for your heart... hahahaha... |
நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
ஊரறியாமல் மறைத்த போதும்
ஊரறியாமல் மறைத்த போதும்
ஓடும் விழிகள் தள்ளாடி
நெஞ்சுக்கு உன் நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Even if you hide it from the town,
Even if you hide it from the town,
The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away.
The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
சபை அறியாமல் நடக்கும்
அது தலைமுதல் கால்வரை அளக்கும்
சபை அறியாமல் நடக்கும்
அது தலைமுதல் கால்வரை அளக்கும்
இடை இடையே கொஞ்சம் சிரிக்கும்
அது ஏழையின் பசிபோல் இருக்கும் இருக்கும்
நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
It moves quietly without the assembly noticing,
It measures from head to toe.
It moves quietly without the assembly noticing,
It measures from head to toe.
It smiles softly in between,
It lingers endlessly like the hunger of the poor.
The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
ஆசையை பலநாள் அடக்கும்
அந்த அடக்கத்திலே உடல் இளைக்கும்
ஆசையை பலநாள் அடக்கும்
அந்த அடக்கத்திலே உடல் இளைக்கும்
ஆயினும் நெஞ்சத்தை மறைக்கும்
அது ஆண்களுக்கு எங்கே இருக்கும் இருக்கும்
நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
It suppresses desires for many days,
And in that suppression, the body grows frail.
It suppresses desires for many days,
And in that suppression, the body grows frail.
Female: Yet it conceals the heart's true thoughts;
Where do men ever possess such self-restraint?
Male: The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
பெண்ணுக்கு ரகசியம் ஏது
தலை பின்னலும் பேசிடும்போது
பெண்ணுக்கு ரகசியம் ஏது
தலை பின்னலும் பேசிடும்போது
கண்ணுக்கு திரை கிடையாது
அது கலந்த பின் விலகுவதேது ...ஏது
இருவர் :
நெஞ்சுக்கு முகமே கண்ணாடி
நீ நினைப்பதைக் காட்டும் முன்னாடி
ஊரறியாமல் மறைத்த போதும்
ஊரறியாமல் மறைத்த போதும்
ஓடும் விழிகள் தள்ளாடி
நெஞ்சுக்கு உன் நெஞ்சுக்கு ஹாஹாஹாஹா
What secret can a woman truly hold,
When even the sway of her braided hair speaks?
What secret can a woman truly hold,
When even the sway of her braided hair speaks?
Female: The eyes have no curtain to hide behind;
Once they meet, how can they ever be parted?
Both: The face is a mirror to the heart,
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Even if you hide it from the town,
Even if you hide it from the town,
The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away.
For the heart, for your heart... hahahaha...
Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum
Even if you hide it from the town,
Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum
Even if you hide it from the town,
Odum vizhigal thalladi
The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away.
Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Sabai ariyaamal nadakkum
It moves quietly without the assembly noticing,
Adhu thalai mudhal kaalvarai alakkum
It measures from head to toe.
Sabai ariyaamal nadakkum
It moves quietly without the assembly noticing,
Adhu thalai mudhal kaalvarai alakkum
It measures from head to toe.
Idai daiyae konjam sirikkum
It smiles softly in between,
Adhu yezhaiyin pasipol irukkum irukkum
It lingers endlessly like the hunger of the poor.
Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Aasaiyai pala naal adakkum
It suppresses desires for many days,
Andha adakathilae udal ilaikkum
And in that suppression, the body grows frail.
Aasaiyai pala naal adakkum
It suppresses desires for many days,
Andha adakathilae udal ilaikkum
And in that suppression, the body grows frail.
Female :Aayinum nenjathai maraikum
Female: Yet it conceals the heart's true thoughts;
Adhu aangalukku engae irukkum irukkum
Where do men ever possess such self-restraint?
Male :Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
Male: The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Pennukku ragasiyam yedhu
What secret can a woman truly hold,
Thalai pinnalum pesidum podhu
When even the sway of her braided hair speaks?
Pennukku ragasiyam yedhu
What secret can a woman truly hold,
Thalai pinnalum pesidum podhu
When even the sway of her braided hair speaks?
Female :Kannukku thirai kidaiyadhu
Female: The eyes have no curtain to hide behind;
Adhu kalandha pinn vilaguvadhuyedhu
Once they meet, how can they ever be parted?
Both :Nenjukku mugamae kannadi
Both: The face is a mirror to the heart,
Nee ninaipadhai kattum munnadi
It reveals what you think beforehand.
Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum
Even if you hide it from the town,
Oor ariyaamal maraitha podhum
Even if you hide it from the town,
Odum vizhigal thalladi
The restless, darting eyes will stumble and give it away.
Nenjukku un nenjukku ….hahahaha….
For the heart, for your heart... hahahaha...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Nenjukku Mugamae Kannadi is a playful and lighthearted duet exploring the subtle non-verbal language of love and desire. The core message of the song is that the human face acts as a flawless mirror to one's inner thoughts—no matter how hard someone tries to conceal their feelings from society, their gaze and subtle expressions will inevitably betray them.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Nenjukku mugamae kannadi”
Directly compares the human face to a mirror that reflects the innermost thoughts of the heart.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Adhu yezhaiyin pasipol irukkum irukkum”
Compares persistent, unfulfilled desire or longing to the constant hunger experienced by a poor person.
Personification
“Thalai pinnalum pesidum podhu”
Attributes the human ability of speech to a woman's braided hair, suggesting that body language speaks volumes.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Aasaiyai pala naal adakkum / Andha adakathilae udal ilaikkum”
Repetition of the initial sound ('Aa') across consecutive lines for poetic rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by T. Chalapathi Rao with lyrics by Kannadasan, this song from 'Maadi Veettu Mappillai' (1967) features the iconic duet voice pair T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. The opening line 'Nenjukku mugamae kannadi' became a famous colloquial idiom in Tamil culture to denote that eyes and facial expressions never lie.
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