- Lyricist
- Arivu
- Singer
- Kannan Narayanan
- Music directors
- Vijay Antony, Arivu
- Movie name
- Raththam
- Movie release year
- 2023
- Lyrics added on
- 31 Jul 2023
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Raththa Aaru' from the movie 'Raththam' is a powerful socio-political commentary on deep-rooted prejudice, casteism, regional bias, and discrimination prevalent in society. The narrator describes a simple encounter on the street where two humans greet each other as equals, until identity markers—such as name, origin, religion, and caste—are revealed. Instantly, the warmth disappears and gives way to unprovoked hatred, illustrating how societal division is arbitrarily sown and nurtured.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Raayagaththin veethiyengum raththa aaru”
'Raththa aaru' (river of blood) metaphorically depicts the widespread violent consequences of communal and social prejudice.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Ava pidikkala iva pidikkala / Mugam pidikkala madham pidikkala / Mozhi pidikkala”
The repetitive ending 'pidikkala' (don't like) creates rhythmic emphasis on societal intolerance.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Naan enna sonnaen / Naan yaarunnu sonnaen / Verenna sonnaen / En unmaiya sonnaen”
The repeated interrogative lines reinforce the narrator's confusion and hurt over being hated simply for speaking the truth about his identity.
Muran (Antithesis)
“Pirappu irappu padippu valarppu”
Contrasting life milestones like birth ('Pirappu') and death ('Irappu') in quick succession to emphasize how bias spans from life to the grave.
Did you know?
Trivia
The track from 'Raththam' (2023) is penned by independent artist Arivu, known for writing sharp lyrics dealing with social equality and anti-caste themes. The movie stars Vijay Antony and is directed by C. S. Amudhan.
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