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Vetri Padigal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Kaathu Karuppu

From Vetri Padigal · 1991

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. Janaki, Saibaba
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Vetri Padigal
Movie release year
1991
Lyrics added on
24 Sept 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru kaathu karuppu kandaa
Bayamum unakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verkkudhu viruvirukkudhu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Ada poyaa potta edhukku pantu satta
Ada veena yenya aana porandhutta hoi
Oru kaathu karuppu kandaa
Bayamum unakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verkkudhu viruvirukkudhu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Ada enga veetu pillaiyilae
Pattedupaar sattaiyilae
MGR aa pathiyaa
Kattabomman veshathilae
Karjippaaru singam polae
Nadigar thilagam paarthiya
Ada paayum puliyaaga vandhu
Paanju paanju sanda podum
Rajinikanth paathiyaa
Villangala bendedukkum
Naayagana vandhu nikkum
Kamalahaasan paathiya
Pongi ezhu nee thaan herookala pola
Illaa vittaa neethaan kattikaiya saela
Adhukkum idhukkum dhinam
Achapattu achapattu
Edhukku pozhappu sollu
Vetkam kettu vetkam kettu hae haei
Oru kaathu karuppu kandaa
Bayamum unakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verkkudhu viruvirukkudhu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Ada poyaa potta edhukku pantu satta
Ada veena yenya aana porandhutta hae
Oru kaathu karuppu kandaa
Bayamum unakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verkkudhu viruvirukkudhu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Adi pathu perai othaiyilae
Suthugirai vithaiyellam
Ennaal kaatta kooduma
Pallodanju sillodanju
Kai odanju kaal odanju
Munaal nirkka venuma
Adi acha padum sangathikku
Acha pada venumminnu
Sonnaan andha valluvan
Enna pola valluvanum
Vambhu thumbhu vechukaama
Mannil vaazhndha nallavan
Indha uyir ponaa innum onnu yedhu
Aasai idhan melae vekkadhavan yaaru
Nadantha kolaiya kannil kandu putten kandu putten
Varattu izhuppil vandhu sikkikitten sikkikitten hahahaha
Oru kaathu karuppa kandaa
Bayamum enakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verthu viruviruthu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Adi veeram veeram enakku dhooram dhooram
Adi jhansi raani nee thaan udhavanum hahahaha
Oru kaathu karuppa kandaa
Bayamum enakkirukkudhu tharanannaa
Udal verthu viruviruthu
Veluthu mogam karukkudhu tharanannaa
Haahaaha
If you see a ghost or an evil spirit,
fear takes hold of you, tharananna...
Your body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
your face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
Go away, you coward, why even wear pants and a shirt?
Why were you even born as a man, so uselessly, hey!
If you see a ghost or an evil spirit,
fear takes hold of you, tharananna...
Your body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
your face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
In the film 'Enga Veettu Pillai',
singing a song with a whip in his hand,
have you seen MGR?
In the role of Kattabomman,
roaring out loud like a lion,
have you seen Nadigar Thilagam (Sivaji Ganesan)?
Charging ahead like a pouncing tiger,
leaping and fighting fiercely,
have you seen Rajinikanth?
Wiping out the villains completely,
standing tall as the ultimate hero,
have you seen Kamal Haasan?
Rise up boldly like those heroes!
If not, you might as well go wear a saree!
For this and for that, every single day,
trembling in fear all the time,
tell me, why live such a life,
without a shred of shame? Hey hey!
If you see a ghost or an evil spirit,
fear takes hold of you, tharananna...
Your body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
your face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
Go away, you coward, why even wear pants and a shirt?
Why were you even born as a man, so uselessly? Hey!
If you see a ghost or an evil spirit,
fear takes hold of you, tharananna...
Your body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
your face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
Hey, fighting ten men all by myself
and showing off all kinds of martial arts stunts,
is that something I can ever do?
With broken teeth and shattered bones,
with broken arms and fractured legs,
must I really end up standing in front of you?
Hey, for things that are truly frightening,
it is only wise to be afraid—
that is what the great poet Valluvar said!
Just like me, Valluvar too
steered clear of fights and trouble,
living peacefully as a good man on this earth!
If this one life is gone, where will I get another?
Who in this world does not treasure their own life?
I saw a murder with my own two eyes,
and got dragged into this pointless mess, hahaha!
If I see a ghost or an evil spirit,
I really am terrified, tharananna...
My body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
my face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
Bravery and valor are miles away from me!
Hey Jhansi Rani, only you have to save me! Hahaha...
If I see a ghost or an evil spirit,
I really am terrified, tharananna...
My body breaks into a sweat and shivers,
my face turns pale and darkens with fear, tharananna...
Hahaha!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This playful comic duet showcases a humorous clash of perspectives between a brave woman and a self-confessed timid man. The woman ridicules the man for his lack of courage, calling him a coward who trembles at the thought of darkness or ghosts. She challenges him to emulate Tamil cinema's legendary action stars—MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan—and mockingly suggests he wear a saree if he lacks masculine bravery.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Karjippaaru singam polae

Compares Sivaji Ganesan's roaring performance in Kattabomman directly to a lion ('singam polae').

Metaphor & Imagery

Ada paayum puliyaaga vandhu

Compares Rajinikanth's high-energy screen presence and fight style to a pouncing tiger ('paayum puli').

Cultural Allusion

Sonnaan andha valluvan

References Thiruvalluvar's famous Thirukkural couplet 'Anjaamai anjaamai idamai...' to philosophically defend cowardice as a virtue of caution.

Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Paanju paanju sanda podum

Repetition of the verb 'paanju' (leaping) emphasizes continuous action and energetic martial movement.

Rhyme (Ethugai)

Udal verkkudhu viruvirukkudhu / Veluthu mogam karukkudhu

Matching internal rhyming patterns and rhythm ('verkkudhu', 'viruvirukkudhu', 'karukkudhu') enhance the folk-song quality.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is from the 1991 action-drama film 'Vetri Padigal', directed by Manobala and starring Ramki, Nirosha, and Srividya. The music for the film was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, with lyrics penned by the renowned poet Vaali. In the lyrics, Vaali cleverly weaves pop-culture references to four iconic pillars of Tamil cinema (MGR, Sivaji Ganesan, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan) while contrasting cinema heroism with real-life cowardice.

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