Nizhalin Kadhai Idhu
From Vishwa Thulasi · 2004
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music directors
- M. S. Vishwanathan, Ilayaraja
- Details
- Vishwa Thulasi2004
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo | Listen to the story of this shadow, girl |
| Keladiyo keladiyo keladiyo | Listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Nilladiyo nilladiyo nilladiyo | Stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl |
| Male | |
| Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo | Listen to the story of this shadow, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Male | |
| Un vazhiyil en vazhi thaan selladiyo | My path moves along your path, girl |
| En vizhiyil un vali thaan paaradiyo | Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl |
| Male | |
| Un vazhiyil en vazhi thaan selladiyo | My path moves along your path, girl |
| En vizhiyil un vali thaan paaradiyo | Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl |
| Un viruppam en viruppam solladiyo | Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire? |
| Un viruppam en viruppam solladiyo | Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire? |
| Unai mayakkum nija mayakkam yaaradiyo | Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl? |
| Unai mayakkum nija mayakkam yaaradiyo | Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl? |
| Male | |
| Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo | Listen to the story of this shadow, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Male | |
| Un nerukkam en kirakkam thazhuvadiyo | May your closeness embrace my infatuation, girl |
| En irukkam unai irukkum nazhuvadiyo | Will my tight embrace hold you and slip away, girl? |
| Un nadukkam un kalakkam kooradiyo | Express your trembling and your inner turmoil, girl |
| Kan urakkam illai enakkum yenadiyo | Why is sleep missing from my eyes too, girl? |
| Male | |
| Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo | Listen to the story of this shadow, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Male | |
| Nee thirumba naan thirumbum | As you turn, I am the footmat |
| Midhiyadiyo | That turns along with you, girl |
| Nee valarthum thani yaagam veenadiyo | Has the solitary sacrifice you nurtured gone to waste, girl? |
| Male | |
| Un uravil en uyir thaan urangadiyo | My soul slumbers only in your relationship, girl |
| En manadhil un kanam thaan irangadiyo | Does your heavy presence descend into my heart, girl? |
| Male | |
| Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo | Listen to the story of this shadow, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
| Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo | Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl |
நிழலின் கதை இது கேளடியோ
கேளடியோ கேளடியோ கேளடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
நில்லடியோ நில்லடியோ நில்லடியோ
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl
நிழலின் கதை இது கேளடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
உன் வழியில் என் வழிதான் செல்லடியோ
என் விழியில் உன் வலிதான் பாரடியோ
My path moves along your path, girl
Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl
உன் வழியில் என் வழிதான் செல்லடியோ
என் விழியில் உன் வலிதான் பாரடியோ
உன் விருப்பம் என் விருப்பம் சொல்லடியோ
உன் விருப்பம் என் விருப்பம் சொல்லடியோ
உனை மயக்கும் நிஜ மயக்கம் யாரடியோ
உனை மயக்கும் நிஜ மயக்கம் யாரடியோ
My path moves along your path, girl
Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl
Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire?
Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire?
Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl?
Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl?
நிழலின் கதை இது கேளடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
உன் நெருக்கம் என் கிறக்கம் தழுவடியோ
என் இறுக்கம் உனை இறுக்கும் நழுவடியோ
உன் நடுக்கம் உன் கலக்கம் கூறடியோ
கண் உறக்கம் இல்லை எனக்கும் ஏனடியோ
May your closeness embrace my infatuation, girl
Will my tight embrace hold you and slip away, girl?
Express your trembling and your inner turmoil, girl
Why is sleep missing from my eyes too, girl?
நிழலின் கதை இது கேளடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
நீ திரும்ப நான் திரும்பும்
விதியடியோ
நீ வளர்த்தும் தனி யாகம் வீணடியோ
As you turn, I am the footmat
That turns along with you, girl
Has the solitary sacrifice you nurtured gone to waste, girl?
உன் உறவில் என் உயிர்தான் உறங்கடியோ
என் மனதில் உன் கனம்தான் இறங்கடியோ
My soul slumbers only in your relationship, girl
Does your heavy presence descend into my heart, girl?
நிழலின் கதை இது கேளடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
நிஜமே ஒரு நிமிடம் நில்லடியோ
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Keladiyo keladiyo keladiyo
Listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl, listen, oh girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nilladiyo nilladiyo nilladiyo
Stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl, stop, oh girl
Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Un vazhiyil en vazhi thaan selladiyo
My path moves along your path, girl
En vizhiyil un vali thaan paaradiyo
Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl
Un vazhiyil en vazhi thaan selladiyo
My path moves along your path, girl
En vizhiyil un vali thaan paaradiyo
Look at your pain reflected in my eyes, girl
Un viruppam en viruppam solladiyo
Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire?
Un viruppam en viruppam solladiyo
Tell me, girl, is your desire the same as my desire?
Unai mayakkum nija mayakkam yaaradiyo
Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl?
Unai mayakkum nija mayakkam yaaradiyo
Who is this true spell that hypnotizes you, girl?
Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Un nerukkam en kirakkam thazhuvadiyo
May your closeness embrace my infatuation, girl
En irukkam unai irukkum nazhuvadiyo
Will my tight embrace hold you and slip away, girl?
Un nadukkam un kalakkam kooradiyo
Express your trembling and your inner turmoil, girl
Kan urakkam illai enakkum yenadiyo
Why is sleep missing from my eyes too, girl?
Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nee thirumba naan thirumbum
As you turn, I am the footmat
Midhiyadiyo
That turns along with you, girl
Nee valarthum thani yaagam veenadiyo
Has the solitary sacrifice you nurtured gone to waste, girl?
Un uravil en uyir thaan urangadiyo
My soul slumbers only in your relationship, girl
En manadhil un kanam thaan irangadiyo
Does your heavy presence descend into my heart, girl?
Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo
Listen to the story of this shadow, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo
Oh reality, stop for a single minute, girl
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song is a deeply philosophical and emotional plea where the singer contrasts the intangible ('Nizhal' / Shadow) with the tangible ('Nijam' / Reality). Addressing a beloved, the speaker reflects on how their lives, feelings, and destinies are intertwined, sharing both joy and pain. There is a sense of longing, devotion, and bittersweet acceptance of life's illusions versus truths.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo / Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo”
Almost every line consistently ends with the rhythmic refrain suffix '-adiyo', creating a melodic and poetic rhyme scheme across the entire song.
Muran (Oxymoron / Contrast)
“Nizhalin kadhai idhu keladiyo / Nijamae oru nimidam nilladiyo”
Contrasts 'Nizhal' (shadow/illusion) with 'Nijam' (truth/reality) to highlight the duality of perception and existence.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Un viruppam en viruppam solladiyo”
The repetition of similar soft vocal sounds at the start of words within the line creates internal harmony.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Un nerukkam en kirakkam thazhuvadiyo / En irukkam unai irukkum nazhuvadiyo”
The second consonant 'ra/ru/rak' pattern creates rhythmic structural assonance across the couplets.
Did you know?
Trivia
Vishwa Thulasi (2004), starring Mammootty and Nandita Das and directed by Sumathy Ram, is famous for its historic musical collaboration where two giant composers of Tamil cinema—M. S. Viswanathan and Ilaiyaraaja—worked together on the soundtrack. Ilaiyaraaja penned the lyrics for songs in this film, infusing them with deeply spiritual and philosophical themes.
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