O Vennila
From Kadhal Desam · 1996
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Unnikrishnan
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Kadhal Desam1996
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee | Oh white moon, are you in two skies? |
| Oh nanbanae…. ariyaamala …aaa..naan | Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...? |
| Kaanae kannae kaadhal seidhai | Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love. |
| Kaadhal ennum poovai neidhai | You wove a flower called love. |
| Nanban andha poovai koidhaal | If my friend plucks that flower, |
| Oh nenjae nenjae nee enseivai | Oh heart, my heart, what will you do? |
| Male | |
| Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee | Oh white moon, are you in two skies? |
| Male | |
| Mazhai neeril vaanam | In rainwater, the sky |
| Nanaiyadhamma | Does not get drenched, dear. |
| Vizhi neeril poo mugam | In tears, that flower-like face |
| Karaiayadhamma | Will not dissolve away, dear. |
| Male | |
| Enai kettu kaadhal varavillaiyae | Love did not arrive after asking my permission, |
| Naan solli kaadhal vidavillaiyae | Nor will love leave just because I say so. |
| Marandhaalum nenjam marakaadhamma | Even if forgotten, the heart forgets not, |
| Irandhaalum kaadhal irakkadhamma | Even if I die, love dies not. |
| Male | |
| Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee | Oh white moon, are you in two skies? |
| Male | |
| Irukkindra idhayam ondrallava | Isn't there only one heart? |
| Enadhalla adhuvum unadhallava | It isn't mine, it belongs to you as well. |
| Edhai ketta podhum tharakoodumae | Whatever is asked, it can be given, |
| Uyir kooda unakkai vidakoodumae | Even life can be surrendered for you. |
| Male | |
| Tharugindra porulai | Love is not a commodity |
| Kaadhal illai | To be given away; |
| Thandhaalae kaadhal | If it is given away so easily, |
| Kaadhal illai | It is no longer love. |
| Male | |
| Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee | Oh white moon, are you in two skies? |
| Oh nanbanae…. ariyaamala …aaa..naan | Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...? |
| Kaanae kannae kaadhal seidhai | Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love. |
| Kaadhal ennum poovai neidhai | You wove a flower called love. |
| Nanban andha poovai koidhaal | If my friend plucks that flower, |
| Oh nenjae nenjae nee enseivai | Oh heart, my heart, what will you do? |
ஓ வெண்ணிலா
இரு வானிலா .....நீ..
ஓ நண்பனே ......
அறியாமலா....நான்..
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...?
Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love.
You wove a flower called love.
If my friend plucks that flower,
Oh heart, my heart, what will you do?
கண்ணே கண்ணே
காதல் செய்தாய்
காதல் என்னும் பூவை நெய்தாய்
நண்பன் அந்த பூவை கொய்தால்
ஓ நெஞ்சே நெஞ்சே
நீயென் செய்வாய்
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
ஓ வெண்ணிலா
இரு வானிலா .....நீ..
In rainwater, the sky
Does not get drenched, dear.
In tears, that flower-like face
Will not dissolve away, dear.
மழை நீரில் வானம்
நனையாதம்மா
விழி நீரில் பூமுகம்
கரையாதம்மா
Love did not arrive after asking my permission,
Nor will love leave just because I say so.
Even if forgotten, the heart forgets not,
Even if I die, love dies not.
எனைக் கேட்டு
காதல் வரவில்லையே
நான் சொல்லி
காதல் விடவில்லையே
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
மறந்தாலும் நெஞ்சம்
மறக்காதம்மா
இறந்தாலும் காதல்
இறக்காதம்மா
Isn't there only one heart?
It isn't mine, it belongs to you as well.
Whatever is asked, it can be given,
Even life can be surrendered for you.
ஓ வெண்ணிலா
இரு வானிலா .....நீ..
Love is not a commodity
To be given away;
If it is given away so easily,
It is no longer love.
இருக்கின்ற இதயம்
ஒன்றல்லவா
எனதல்ல அதுவும்
உனதல்லவா
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...?
Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love.
You wove a flower called love.
If my friend plucks that flower,
Oh heart, my heart, what will you do?
எதை கேட்ட போதும்
தரக்கூடுமே
உயிர் கூட உனக்காய்
விட கூடுமே
தருகின்ற பொருளாய்
காதல் இல்லை
தந்தாலே காதல்
காதல் இல்லை
ஓ வெண்ணிலா
இரு வானிலா .....நீ..
ஓ நண்பனே ......
அறியாமலா....நான்..
கண்ணே கண்ணே
காதல் செய்தாய்
காதல் என்னும் பூவை நெய்தாய்
நண்பன் அந்த பூவை கொய்தால்
ஓ நெஞ்சே நெஞ்சே
நீயென் செய்வாய்
Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Oh nanbanae…. ariyaamala …aaa..naan
Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...?
Kaanae kannae kaadhal seidhai
Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love.
Kaadhal ennum poovai neidhai
You wove a flower called love.
Nanban andha poovai koidhaal
If my friend plucks that flower,
Oh nenjae nenjae nee enseivai
Oh heart, my heart, what will you do?
Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Mazhai neeril vaanam
In rainwater, the sky
Nanaiyadhamma
Does not get drenched, dear.
Vizhi neeril poo mugam
In tears, that flower-like face
Karaiayadhamma
Will not dissolve away, dear.
Enai kettu kaadhal varavillaiyae
Love did not arrive after asking my permission,
Naan solli kaadhal vidavillaiyae
Nor will love leave just because I say so.
Marandhaalum nenjam marakaadhamma
Even if forgotten, the heart forgets not,
Irandhaalum kaadhal irakkadhamma
Even if I die, love dies not.
Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Irukkindra idhayam ondrallava
Isn't there only one heart?
Enadhalla adhuvum unadhallava
It isn't mine, it belongs to you as well.
Edhai ketta podhum tharakoodumae
Whatever is asked, it can be given,
Uyir kooda unakkai vidakoodumae
Even life can be surrendered for you.
Tharugindra porulai
Love is not a commodity
Kaadhal illai
To be given away;
Thandhaalae kaadhal
If it is given away so easily,
Kaadhal illai
It is no longer love.
Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee
Oh white moon, are you in two skies?
Oh nanbanae…. ariyaamala …aaa..naan
Oh my friend... unknowingly... have I...?
Kaanae kannae kaadhal seidhai
Oh my precious eyes, you fell in love.
Kaadhal ennum poovai neidhai
You wove a flower called love.
Nanban andha poovai koidhaal
If my friend plucks that flower,
Oh nenjae nenjae nee enseivai
Oh heart, my heart, what will you do?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Oh Vennila' from 'Kadhal Desam' captures the central anguish of a young man caught in a heartbreaking love triangle between his deepest affection for a woman and his ultimate loyalty to his best friend. Comparing the beloved to a single moon caught between two skies, the protagonist struggles with the helplessness of love—an emotion that arrived uninvited and cannot be turned off at will, surviving even death.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Oh vennilla iru vaanila…aaa… nee”
Compares the beloved to a single moon existing simultaneously in two skies, symbolizing how she is shared in the hearts of two best friends.
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Kaadhal ennum poovai neidhai”
Compares love to a delicate flower that has been intricately woven.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Nanaiyadhamma / Karaiayadhamma / Marakaadhamma / Irakkadhamma”
The rhythmic repetition of the ending suffix '-adhamma' across consecutive lines creates poetic resonance and melancholy.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Marandhaalum / Irandhaalum”
The second consonant sound 'ra' (ர) matches across both lines, giving a poetic rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics written by the legendary Vaali, 'Oh Vennila' is sung by Unni Menon. The song reflects the core plot of the 1996 blockbuster hit 'Kadhal Desam' starring Vineeth, Abbas, and Tabu, where two inseparable college friends unknowingly fall in love with the same girl. Rahman's soundtrack for the film became a massive cultural phenomenon across South India.
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