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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Nenjukulle Innarunnu

From Ponnumani · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Ponnumani1993

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
{ Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyuma } (2)Is its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Ulagae azhinjaalum un uruvam azhiyaathaeWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Uyire pirinjaalum uravethum piriyaathaeIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Unaamal urangaamal unnal thavikum ponnumaniEven if the world is destroyed, your image will never perish.
Male
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaEven if life leaves the body, our bond will never break.
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaWithout eating, without sleeping, Ponnumani yearns because of you.
Female
Yekka pattu pattu naan ilaithenaeWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Male
Haha …haa ..haha ..haha ..haa ..haaIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Female
Yettu kalvi kettu naan salithenaeSuffering in yearning, I have grown thin.
Male
Oho..hoo ….oh..hoo..hoo..hoo …hoiHaha... haa... haha... haha... haa... haa...
Male
Thookam kettu kettuTired of hearing formal education and advice, I grew weary.
Thudikum mullai mottuOho... hoo... oh... hoo... hoo... hoo... hoi...
Theku mara dhegam thottuLosing my sleep continuously,
Thedi vanthu thaalam thattuThe delicate jasmine bud quivers,
Female
En thaalam maraathaiyaaTouching your body strong like a teak tree,
Unaamal urangaamal unnal thavikum sinthamaniCome seeking me and beat the rhythm.
Female
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaWill my rhythm change, my lord?
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaWithout eating, without sleeping, Sinthamani yearns because of you.
Ulagae azhinjaalum un uruvam azhiyaathaeWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Uyire pirinjaalum uravethum piriyaathaeIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Female
Unaamal urangaamal unnal thavikum sinthamaniEven if the world is destroyed, your image will never perish.
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaEven if life leaves the body, our bond will never break.
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaWithout eating, without sleeping, Sinthamani yearns because of you.
Male
Kanchi pattu onnu naan kodupenaeWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Female
Oho….hoo …oho ..hoo …ooh ..hoi …hoiIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Male
Kaalamellam unnai naan sumapenaeI will gift you a fine Kanchipuram silk saree.
Female
Haha ….haa …haha ….haha …aaa …aaaOho... hoo... oho... hoo... ooh... hoi... hoi...
Female
Maman unnai kanduI will carry you forever in my heart.
Engum malli chanduHaha... haa... haha... haha... aaa... aaa...
Thozhil ennai alli konduSeeing you, my maternal uncle,
Thoonga vaipaai anbae endruThe fragrance of jasmine flowers spreads everywhere.
Male
En kannil nee thanammaGathering me into your arms,
Unaamal urangaamal unnal thavikum ponnumaniSaying 'sleep, my love', put me to sleep.
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaYou are the light of my eyes, my dear.
Female
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaWithout eating, without sleeping, Ponnumani yearns because of you.
Male
Ulagae azhinjaalum un uruvam azhiyaathaeWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Female
Uyire pirinjaalum uravethum piriyaathaeIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?
Male
Unaamal urangaamal unnal thavikum ponnumaniEven if the world is destroyed, your image will never perish.
Female
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaEven if life leaves the body, our bond will never break.
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaWithout eating, without sleeping, Ponnumani yearns because of you.
Male
Nenjukullae innarunu sonnal puriyumaWill you understand if I tell you who is inside my heart?
Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyumaIs its lisping talk visible in my eyes?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Nenjukullae Innarunu Sonnal Puriyuma is an iconic romantic duet from the 1993 Tamil film Ponnumani, composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali. The song conveys the deep, unspoken emotional bond between the two lead characters, emphasizing that true love persists beyond physical presence and even cosmic destruction. Through gentle rhythmic vocalizations, affection-filled dialogue, and vivid rural imagery—such as jasmine buds and teak wood—the lovers voice their intense yearning, loss of sleep, and eternal commitment to one another.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Second-letter Rhyme (Ethukai)

Ulagae azhinjaalum un uruvam azhiyaathae / Uyire pirinjaalum uravethum piriyaathae

Matching second consonants across consecutive lines, enhancing the rhythmic harmony in classical Tamil prosody.

Initial Consonant Rhyme (Monaai)

Thookam kettu kettu / Thudikum mullai mottu / Theku mara dhegam thottu

Repetition of the initial 'Th' consonant across multiple short lines to build rhythmic momentum.

Anaphora / Word Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Athu konji konji pesurathu kannil theriyuma

Repetition of words like 'konji konji' and 'kettu kettu' to emphasize affection and continuous emotional states.

Did you know?

Trivia

Though listed as unknown in the prompt, the soundtrack for Ponnumani was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki. The film stars Karthik and Soundarya, and this song remains one of the defining rural romantic melodies of 1990s Tamil cinema.

Keep listening

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