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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Murai Endhan

From Aasai · 1995

Lyricist
Lyricist Not Known
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Swarnalatha
Music director
Deva
Details
Aasai1995

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oho ooo……………Oho ooo…
Male
Oru muraiJust once,
Endhan nenjilagainst my chest,
Kaadhai vaithuplace your ear,
Keladiyo thilothamaand listen, my Tilothama!
Male
IrudhayamMy heart,
Undhan peraiyour name,
Chollum chollumkeeps saying, saying,
Paaradiyo thilothamasee for yourself, Tilothama!
Male
AayiramA thousand
Kanavugal ammammadreams, oh dear,
Thandhaval neeyammayou are the one who gave them to me.
Male
KanavinilIn these dreams,
Ondru kuraindhaalumeven if one is reduced,
Kalaibavan naanammaI am the one who will fade away.
Female
Oho oooo ………Oho oooo…
Male
Oho ooo…………Oho ooo…
Male
………………………….
Female
……………………….
Male
IdhayamMy heart,
Ippodhu kannilis now in my eyes,
Thudikudhae ennathrobbing, why is that?
Enna enna ennaWhy, why, why?
Enna ennaWhy, why?
Male
Kangal moodaamalWithout even closing my eyes,
Kanavu thondrudhaedreams appear,
Female
Ennawhy?
Female
Iravu ippodhuThe night now,
Neelam aanadhae ennahas turned so long, why?
Enna enna enna enna ennaWhy, why, why, why, why?
Female
JannalilAt the window,
Nilavu sandai podudhaethe moon is picking a fight,
Male
Ennawhy?
Male
Edhilum undhanIn everything,
Bimbam thondrudhaeyour reflection appears,
Enna enna enna ennawhy, why, why, why?
Enna ennaWhy, why?
Male
En per ippodhuMy own name now,
Marandhu ponadhaeI have completely forgotten,
Female
Ennawhy?
Female
Vaanam ippodhuThe sky now
Pakam vandhadhae ennahas come closer, why?
Enna enna enna enna ennaWhy, why, why, why, why?
Female
Thookam unnaalaeSleep, because of you,
Dhooram aanadhaehas gone far away,
Male
Ennawhy?
Male
Oho oru kadalinilaeOho, into an ocean,
Nadhi kalandha pinnaeonce a river merges,
Adhu pirivadhillaiit never separates.
Female
Oho oruOho, into a
Kavidhaiyilae vandhupoem, once words
kalandha pinnaecome and blend,
Sollum arivadhillaithey do not get separated.
Male
Oru muraiJust once,
Endhan nenjilagainst my chest,
Kaadhai vaithuplace your ear,
Keladiyo thilothamaand listen, my Tilothama!
Male
IrudhayamMy heart,
Undhan peraiyour name,
Chollum chollumkeeps saying, saying,
Paaradiyo thilothamasee for yourself, Tilothama!
Male
Kaatrae illaamalWithout air,
Vaazhkai enbadhae illaithere is no life at all,
Illai illai illai illai illaino, no, no, no, no!
Male
Kaadhal kollaadhaA soul that doesn't love,
Jeevan boomiyilon this earth,
Female
Illaidoes not exist.
Female
Kangal illaamalWithout eyes,
Kaatchi enbadhae illai illaithere is no sight at all, no,
Illai illai illai illaino, no, no, no!
Female
Kanavae illaamalWithout dreams,
Nilavu enbadhaethe moon
Male
Illaidoes not exist.
Male
Thanneer illaamalWithout water,
Endha meenum illai illaithere is no fish, no,
Illai illai illai illaino, no, no, no!
Male
Thalaivi illaamalWithout a heroine,
Kaadhal kaaviyaman epic story of love
Female
Illaidoes not exist.
Female
Mannai thodadhaA rain that doesn't touch the ground,
Mazhaiyum vaanilae illai illaidoesn't exist in the sky, no,
Illai illai illai illaino, no, no, no!
Female
Unnai thodaamalWithout touching you,
Uravu enbadhuma true relationship
Male
Illaidoes not exist.
Male
Oho indhaOho, seeing us two,
Iyarkaiyellam namall of nature,
Iruvaraiyum kandulooking at both of us,
Malaithadhennawhy is it astonished?
Female
Oho idhuOho, this is
Kaadhalukae ullalove's essential,
Jeeva gunamvital nature,
Idhil kalakamennawhy be confused by this?
Male
Oru muraiJust once,
Endhan nenjilagainst my chest,
Kaadhai vaithuplace your ear,
Keladiyo thilothamaand listen, my Tilothama!
Male
IrudhayamMy heart,
Undhan peraiyour name,
Chollum chollumkeeps saying, saying,
Paaradiyo thilothamasee for yourself, Tilothama!
Male
AayiramA thousand
Kanavugal ammammadreams, oh dear,
Thandhaval neeyammayou are the one who gave them to me.
Male
KanavinilIn these dreams,
Ondru kuraindhaalumeven if one is reduced,
Kalaibavan naanammaI am the one who will fade away.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Tilothama' (or 'Oru Murai Endhan Nenjil') from the 1995 film Aasai is an expressive romantic track capturing the overwhelming ecstasy and disorientation of falling deeply in love. The protagonist addresses his beloved as 'Tilothama'—referencing the celestial beauty Tilottama—asking her to place her ear against his chest to hear his heartbeat repeating her name. He narrates how love has transformed his reality: he sees her image everywhere, forgets his own name, loses sleep, and feels the sky has descended closer to him. Through vivid imagery and poetic metaphors—such as rivers merging irreversibly into the ocean, words weaving into a poem, and water sustaining fish—the song celebrates love as an elemental necessity of existence. It highlights that just as life cannot exist without air, human existence is incomplete without love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kaatrae illaamal / Kaadhal kollaadha / Kangal illaamal / Kanavae illaamal

The repetitive use of the 'Ka' and 'Kan' initial consonant sounds across consecutive stanzas establishes a rhythmic pattern (Monai).

Metaphor / Analogy (Uvamai)

Oru kadalinilae nadhi kalandha pinnae adhu pirivadhillai

Compares two lovers uniting to a river flowing into the ocean, emphasizing that true love creates an inseparable, permanent bond.

Adukkuthodar / Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)

Illai illai illai illai illai

Repeated emphasize on 'Illai' (No/Does not exist) intensifies the absolute nature of the statements regarding love's necessity.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Aasai' (1995) was a major romantic thriller directed by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam. The film served as a major breakthrough in Ajith Kumar's career, establishing him as a romantic hero in Tamil cinema. The music composed by Deva was a massive commercial hit, with songs like 'Tilothama' (sung by Unni Menon and Sujatha Rangarajan, with lyrics by Vairamuthu) topping charts upon its release.

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