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Idhayathai Thirudathe album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oh Priya Priya

From Idhayathai Thirudathe · 1989

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Mano, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Idhayathai Thirudathe
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
3 Aug 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aaaa…aaaaa…hmmmmm…..
Oo priyaa priyaa
En priyaa priyaa
Ezhai kaadhal vaazhumoo
Irulum oliyum serumoo
Neeyorr oram naan orroram
Kaanal neeraal dhaagam theeraadhu
Oo priyaa priyaa
Un priyaa priyaa
Oo priyaa priyaa
Un priyaa priyaa
Inaindhidaadhu povadhoo
Vaanam bhoomi aavadhoo
Kaalam siridhu kaadhal manadhu
Devan needhaan ponaal vidaadhu
Thedum kangalae
Thembum nenjamae
Veedum poiyadi vaazhvum poiyadi
Aaahaaaa..aaahaaaa…aaahaaa
Aahaaaaa..ahaaaaa…ahaaaa…
Anbu konda kangalum
Aasai konda nenjamum
Aanai ittu maarumoo
Penmai thaangumoo
Raaja mangai kangalae
Endrum ennai moippadhoo
Vaadum ezhai ingu orr
Paavi allavoo
Edhanaalum oru naalum
Maraiyaadhu premaiyum
Male :Erithaalum marithaalum
Vilagaadha paasamoo
Kanni maanum unnudan
Kalandhadhenna paavamoo
Kaadhal enna kaatrilae kulaindhu
Pogum megamoo
Ammaadi naan yengavoo
Oo nee vaa vaa
Oo priyaa priyaa
En priyaa priyaa
Female :Oo priyaa priyaa
Un priyaa priyaa
Mmmm…mmmm…mmmm…
Mmmmmm….mmmm…mmm….
Mmmm..mmm..mmm…mmmmm….
Kaalidaasan yedugal
Kannan raasa leelaigal
Paruva mogam thandhadhu
Paavam allavae
Shaajahaanin kaadhali
Taajmahaal poongili
Paasam vaitha paavamdhaan
Saavum vandhadhu
Irandhaalae iravaadhu
Vilaigindra premaiyae
Male :Adi neeyae baliyaaga
Varugindra penmaiyae
Vizhiyil pookkum nesamaai
Punidhamaana bandhamaai
Pesum indha paasamae
Indru vetri kollumae
Ilam kanni unnudan
Kooda vaa vaa
Oo priyaa priyaa
En priyaa priyaa
Female :Oo priyaa priyaa
Un priyaa priyaa
Yekkam enna paingili
Ennai vandhu seradi
Female :Nenjirandu naalum paada
Kaaval thaandi poovai ingaada
Kaadhal keerthanam
Kaanum mangalam
Premai naadagam
Penmai aadidum…
Aa... aaaa... hmmm...
Oh Priya, Priya...
My Priya, Priya...
Can a poor man's love survive?
Can darkness and light ever unite?
You are on one shore, and I am on the other.
A mirage can never quench our thirst.
Oh Priya, Priya...
Your Priya, Priya...
Oh Priya, Priya...
Your Priya, Priya...
Will we part without ever uniting?
Can the sky ever become the earth?
Time is short, but love fills the heart.
You are my lord; if you leave, my heart won't let go.
Searching eyes...
A brave heart...
Home is an illusion, life itself is an illusion.
Aahaaha.. aahaaha... aahaaha
Aahaaha.. aahaaha... aahaaha...
Eyes filled with love,
and a heart filled with longing,
will they ever change at a command?
Can a woman's heart bear this?
Why do the eyes of a royal girl
always hover around me?
Isn't the suffering poor man here
just an unfortunate soul?
Nothing in this world
can ever erase our love.
Male: Even if burnt or destroyed by death,
will this deep affection ever fade?
What sin did this innocent deer commit
by uniting with you?
Is love just a cloud
that scatters away in the wind?
Oh my dear, must I keep longing?
Oh, come to me, come!
Oh Priya, Priya...
My Priya, Priya...
Female: Oh Priya, Priya...
Your Priya, Priya...
Mmm... mmm... mmm...
Mmmmm.... mmm... mmm....
Mmm.. mmm.. mmm... mmmmm....
The poetry of Kalidasa,
the playful romances of Lord Krishna,
brought youthful desire—
surely that is no sin!
Shah Jahan's beloved,
the sweet songbird of the Taj Mahal,
just for the sin of loving deeply,
death came for her.
Even when life ends,
this blossoming love never dies.
Male: Are you coming as a sacrifice,
my dear woman?
Like love blooming in our eyes,
as a sacred bond,
this deep affection speaking between us
will surely triumph today.
Young girl, to be with me,
come, oh come!
Oh Priya, Priya...
My Priya, Priya...
Female: Oh Priya, Priya...
Your Priya, Priya...
Why this longing, my sweet bird?
Come and be with me.
Female: As our two hearts sing each day,
crossing every guard, this flower dances here!
A song of love,
a joyful celebration,
in this play of true love,
this woman will dance...
Male
Female
Female
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Female
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

O Priya Priya is a soul-stirring duet from the classic romantic film Idhayathai Thirudathe. The song encapsulates the tragic yet immortal nature of love shared by two terminally ill lovers who yearn to be together despite the harsh realities of fate and mortality. Through evocative imagery, the lovers contrast their impending mortality against the timelessness of their passion, drawing parallels to literary legends and historical lovers like Shah Jahan and Mumtaz. Rather than succumbing to despair, the song transitions into a triumphant celebration of emotional unity. It asserts that true love is sacred, defying social barriers, suffering, and death itself to endure eternally.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagani)

Kaanal neeraal dhaagam theeraadhu

Comparing unfulfilled or impossible love to trying to quench one's thirst with a mirage.

Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thedum kangalae / Thembum nenjamae

The second consonant sound 'du/mbu' creates rhythmic harmony across consecutive lines.

Allusion

Kaalidaasan yedugal / Kannan raasa leelaigal

References to Kalidasa's classical romantic literature and Krishna's divine leela to legitimize youthful passion.

Historical Allusion

Shaajahaanin kaadhali / Taajmahaal poongili

Invokes the eternal romantic legacy of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal to emphasize immortal devotion.

Did you know?

Trivia

Idhayathai Thirudathe (1989) is the Tamil dubbed version of Mani Ratnam's acclaimed Telugu romantic drama Geethanjali starring Nagarjuna and Girija Shettar. The music was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with Tamil lyrics penned by Vaali. 'O Priya Priya' was sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chithra, becoming one of the most iconic romantic chartbusters across South India.

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