- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Movie name
- Sattam
- Movie release year
- 1983
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Jun 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Oru Nanbanin Kadhai Idhu' is a poignant reflection on the bittersweet journey of an intense friendship shattered by betrayal. The speaker ponders whether his former companion should now be regarded as a friend or a foe. He fondly recalls their shared past—a time when they were inseparable, sharing every joy and sorrow equally, to the extent that looking in a mirror felt like seeing his friend's reflection.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai Ani)
“Thendral pondra nanban thaan / Theeyai pola maarinaan”
Compares the friend's soothing initial nature to a gentle breeze ('Thendral pondra') and his sudden hostility to fire ('Theeyai pola').
Contrast / Antonymy (Muran)
“Inba thunbam irandilum”
Pairs contrasting emotions—joy ('Inbam') and sorrow ('Thunbam')—to highlight the complete spectrum of experiences shared by the friends.
Simile (Upamai Ani)
“Oru thaayin pillai pola uravaadinom”
Compares the deep bond of friendship between two unrelated individuals to the biological kinship of brothers born to the same mother ('Oru thaayin pillai pola').
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Thendral pondra nanban thaan / Theeyai pola maarinaan”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Th' ('Thendral' / 'Theeyai') across consecutive lines creating melodic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The movie 'Sattam' (1983) features music composed by Gangai Amaran, with lyrics penned by Vaali and vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. 'Sattam' is an official Tamil remake of the 1980 Hindi blockbuster 'Dostana' starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha. The film stars Kamal Haasan and Sarath Babu as close friends who end up on opposing sides of the law, mirroring the core narrative of this song.
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