- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Bharathwaj
- Movie name
- Pooveli
- Movie release year
- 1998
- Lyrics added on
- 19 Mar 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'O Shalini' is a lively and charming romantic song from the movie Pooveli (1998). The protagonist earnestly woos his beloved, Shalini, pleading with her to shed her anger. Through surreal hyperbole and colorful imagery, he compares her soft, delicate beauty to a flower, remarking that her anger is as bizarre and unnatural as a flower growing sharp teeth. He conveys how her distance disrupts his peace, causing him restless nights and draining his vitality. As the song unfolds, the hero playfully boasts about the unmatched depth of his passion, claiming it could even lure the legendary Laila away from Majnu. He highlights how a mere glance from her revitalizes him, moving from gentle entreaties to humorous threats of 'robbing' her affection entirely from hair to toe. Written by Vairamuthu, the song encapsulates intense romantic longing, playful charm, and classic Tamil poetic tropes.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navirchi Ani)
“Kaadhalil soodu kandaal / Thermometer thaangaathu”
Exaggerates the heat of love to such an extreme level that a scientific instrument like a thermometer would break.
Metaphor & Imagery
“Pookalukku pal mulaithaal paavam”
Compares the delicate nature of a woman to a soft flower, presenting her anger through the vivid, unnatural imagery of a flower growing teeth.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Muga kangal paartha pinnae / Naga kangal thoongaathu”
The second consonant 'ga' in 'Muga' and 'Naga' creates a harmonious Tamil rhythmic rhyme across the consecutive lines.
Allusion (Thonmam)
“Lailaavum masivaalae / Majunuvai maranthu vittu”
Refers to the famous folk tale of Laila and Majnu to emphasize the compelling force of his love.
Did you know?
Trivia
'O Shalini' from Pooveli (1998) features music composed by Bharadwaj and was rendered by singer Hariharan. Director Vikraman's films are renowned for wholesome family dramas and chartbuster music, and Pooveli was one of Bharadwaj's major breakthrough albums in the late 1990s. Lyricist Vairamuthu famously incorporated modern terms and scientific metaphors (like 'thermometer') alongside traditional poetic idioms in this song.
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