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Isaimozhi
Selfie album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oorkaran

From Selfie · 2022

Lyricist
Arivu
Singer
Arivu
Music director
G. V. Prakash Kumar
Movie name
Selfie
Movie release year
2022
Lyrics added on
13 Jan 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Usuru enakkuthan
Kosuru kanakkuthan
Mudivu eduthutaan
Oorkaaran oorkaran
Pattamum padikkathan
Pethavan anuppitaan
Mathavan per vaikkuraan
Oorkaaran oorkaaran
Kashtapattu mela mela
Vandha velai kidaikum
Ishtathukku kanda kanda
Naaiyum yeri nerikkum
Patti kaatanukku
Pattanathu kaathu adikkum
Thokka maatikkitta
Kattam katti seettedukkum
Pattikaattan oornaattan
Pangu kettaan ..panga panga panga
Pattikaattan oornaattan
Sanda pottaan… sanda sanda sanda
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
Panam vanganum pesu pesu pesu
Education um kaasu kaasu kaasu
Pudhusa varaan thooku thooku thooku
Neet aanaalum poduvom ji naanga seat-u
Nalla padinga thambi
Unakku irukudhu oru nalla edhirkaalam
Nalla iru thambi
Indha naatukku neenga dhaan varungaalam
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
Patti kaatula gang gang gangu
City kottaiyil naan thaan strong-u
Ejamaan ini naan than wrong-u
Pisagathuda pasi god-u da
Patti kaatula gang gang gangu
City kottaiyil naan thaan strong-u
Ejamaan ini naan than wrong-u
Pisagathuda pasi god-u da
Appan padikka vachaan vandhu padichom
Sotha adagu vachu sendhu tholachom
Ketta payakittalaam paadam padichom
Pattam kodukkum munna seat-u pudichom
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
Kaaran kaaran oorkaaran
Unnathaan oorukaaya
Nakkiputtu poporaan
Vaaraan vaaraan oorkaaran
Ennathaan evan ingu thaduppaan paakuran
My life is entirely my own,
everything else is just a bonus.
He has made his final choice,
the boy from the village, the village guy.
Just to earn a college degree,
his father sent him far away.
The headstrong boy makes a name for himself,
the boy from the village, the village guy.
If you toil hard and rise to the top,
you might finally land a job.
Yet any random stray dog,
will trample and crush you as they please.
Upon this simple rustic boy,
the city winds begin to blow.
If you get caught off guard,
they will corner you and finish your game.
The village boy, the native son,
demanded his cut... his share, share, share!
The village boy, the native son,
picked a fight... a fight, fight, fight!
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
Talk the talk, reel the money in,
even education is all about cash, cash, cash!
A newcomer walks in, bag him, strip his cash!
Even with NEET exams, boss, we will sell you a college seat!
Study hard, little brother,
a bright future waits for you.
Stay blessed, little brother,
you are the future of this nation.
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
Got my gang back in the village,
and in this city fortress, I rule strong!
I am the boss now, swaggering tall,
make no mistake, man, this is a hungry jungle!
Got my gang back in the village,
and in this city fortress, I rule strong!
I am the boss now, swaggering tall,
make no mistake, man, this is a hungry jungle!
Father paid for my education, so I came to study,
we mortgaged our lands and lost it all together.
I learned hard lessons from shady crooks,
and before graduating, I started selling college seats!
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
That guy, the boy from the village,
he will treat you like a dab of pickle,
lick you clean and walk right past you!
Here he comes, the boy from the village,
daring anyone here to step up and stop him!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Oorkaaran' from 'Selfie' (2022) is an energetic, politically charged hip-hop track penned and performed by Arivu with music by G. V. Prakash Kumar. It explores the systemic corruption, commercialization of higher education, and college admission rackets in Tamil Nadu, particularly focusing on the struggles of rural students moving to urban centers for degrees.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Usuru enakkuthan / Kosuru kanakkuthan

Matching second consonant 'su' in consecutive lines 'Usuru' and 'Kosuru'.

Metaphor

Unnathaan oorukaaya Nakkiputtu poporaan

Comparing a rival or corrupt opponent to a pickle ('oorukaai') that gets consumed and discarded easily.

Epizeuxis (Repetition for emphasis)

Panam vanganum pesu pesu pesu

Repetition of words like 'pesu', 'kaasu', 'thooku', and 'vaaraan' to create momentum and rhythmic impact.

Deification / Metaphor

Pisagathuda pasi god-u da

Elevating the primal instinct of hunger to the divine level ('pasi god-u da') to emphasize survival motivation.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Selfie' (2022), starring Mathi Maran (director) and G.V. Prakash Kumar alongside Gautham Vasudev Menon, revolves around the real-life dark underworld of engineering college admission brokers in Tamil Nadu. Lyricist and singer Arivu, known for 'Arivu x Dhee - Enjoy Enjaami', frequently infuses anti-caste and socio-economic awareness into his rap tracks.

Keep listening

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