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Isaimozhi
Mandela album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Needhi

From Mandela · 2021

Lyricist
Yugabharathi
Singer
Anthakudi Ilayaraja
Music director
Bharath Sankar
Movie name
Mandela
Movie release year
2021
Lyrics added on
31 Jan 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru needhi onbathu saadhi
Idhu thaanae engooru
All :Kadhai ketka ukkaaru
Male :Sorgam enga ooru
Sonangaama odum thanneeru
All :Annan thambi paaru
Aanaalum sandai seivaaru
Rose-u garden engooru
Chance-eh illai nee paaru
Velai illa coolie-um illa
Verumvaaya melvaaru
All :Kadhai kadhaiya solvaaru
Male :Verumvaaya melvaaru
All :Kadhai kadhaiya solvaaru
Saadhi enna saadhi
Ketkkadha nalla aal yaaru
All :Needhi enna needhi
Inga kelvi ketta bejaru
Top-u tucker engooru
Trump-u sir-eh sonnaru
Tasmac-u kadaiya kaakka
Pozhuthelaam kudipponga
All :Naattoda arumai pesi
Theruvoram padupponga
Palanooru bedhamirundhum
Pesuvomae onnunnu
All :Kalappaga kadhalum senja
Pogamaattom gammunu
Color color-ah perumai pesi
Thimuraavae nadappom nadappom
All :Ilavasama edhu vandhaalum
Kedaiya poi kedappom kedappom
Velavaasi yerura podhum…mmm
Aaa…
Velavaasi yerura podhum
Selaiyaattam iruponga
All :Panangaasu serndhadhu pola
Pavusaavae nadipponga
Velavaasi yerura podhum
Selaiyaattam iruponga
All :Panangaasu serndhadhu pola
Pavusaavae nadipponga
Adimaada ozhachum
Kadanaaliyaavae vaazhvonga
All :Adhigaram kedachum
Kaikooliyaavae poovomga
Padichaalum manguniyaavae…hey
Padichalum manguniyaavae
Facebook-u-la kedapponga
All :Cricket-u score-la poyi
Dhesa patra valapponga
Yaarodum pagaiyae illa
Kadhaiyae naan vidava vidava
All :Porada sanamae vandha
Kuri paarthu sudava sudava
Oru needhi
Oru needhi
Oru needhi
All :Onbathu saadhi
Idhu thaanae engooru
All :Kadhai ketka ukkaaru
Male :Idhu thaanae engooru
All :Kadhai ketka ukkaaru
Male :Sorgam enga ooru
Sonangaama odum thanneeru
All :Annan thambi paaru
Aanaalum sandai seivaaru
Rose-u garden engooru
Chance-eh illai nee paaru
Tasmac-u kadaiya kaakka
Pozhuthelaam kudipponga
Palanooru bedhamirundhum
Pesuvomae onnunnu
Yaarodum pagaiyae illa
Kadhaiyae naan vidava vidava
Porada sanamae vandha
Kuri paarthu…
One justice, nine castes—
this is our village!
All: Sit down and hear our story!
Male: Our village is a paradise,
where water flows without running dry!
All: Look at them, living like brothers,
yet they always fight each other!
Our village is a rose garden,
there is no match for it, see for yourself!
There is no work and no daily wage,
they just gossip on empty stomachs,
All: and spin all kinds of tall tales!
Male: They just gossip on empty stomachs,
All: and spin all kinds of tall tales!
"What caste are you?"—
is there any decent man who doesn't ask that?
All: "What kind of justice is this?"—
if you ask that here, you're in deep trouble!
Our village is top-notch,
even Mr. Trump said so!
To keep the TASMAC (government liquor shop) running,
we drink all day long!
All: Singing praises of our great nation,
we sleep right on the roadside!
Despite hundreds of divisions among us,
we talk as if we are all one!
All: But if anyone dares to love across castes,
we won't stay quiet!
Boasting of our pride in all shades,
we walk around with arrogance!
All: Whatever is given away for free,
we flock and fight over it!
Even when prices keep soaring... mmm
Aah...
Even when prices keep soaring,
we stand still like statues!
All: Pretending we're loaded with cash,
we put on a grand show!
Even when prices keep soaring,
we stand still like statues!
All: Pretending we're loaded with cash,
we put on a grand show!
Though we work like beasts of burden,
we live drowned in debt!
All: Even when given power,
we end up as hired stooges!
Even after getting educated, like fools... hey
Even after getting educated, like fools,
we waste away our time on Facebook!
All: By staring at cricket scores,
we nurture our patriotism!
"We hold no enmity toward anyone"—
shall I make up such a lie?
All: If the people rise up to protest,
shall they take aim and shoot them down?
One justice,
one justice,
one justice,
All: nine castes!
This is our village!
All: Sit down and hear our story!
Male: This is our village!
All: Sit down and hear our story!
Male: Our village is a paradise,
where water flows without running dry!
All: Look at them, living like brothers,
yet they always fight each other!
Our village is a rose garden,
there is no match for it, see for yourself!
To keep the TASMAC (government liquor shop) running,
we drink all day long!
Despite hundreds of divisions among us,
we talk as if we are all one!
"We hold no enmity toward anyone"—
shall I make up such a lie?
If the people rise up to protest,
take aim and...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Oru Needhi Onbathu Saadhi' from the movie 'Mandela' (2021) is a biting socio-political satire that exposes the absurdities, hypocrisy, and systemic flaws embedded in rural Indian society. Through sarcastic lyrics, it highlights how caste divisions override basic human unity, how unemployment leads to idle gossip, and how voters are easily placated by freebies while remaining indifferent to rising inflation and corruption.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Irony / Satire

Sorgam enga ooru / Rose-u garden engooru

The lyrics mockingly describe a poverty-stricken, caste-ridden village as a 'paradise' and a 'rose garden'.

Ethugai (Second-letter rhyming)

Saadhi enna saadhi / Needhi enna needhi

The second consonant 'dh' matches in both 'Saadhi' and 'Needhi', creating traditional Tamil rhythmic meter.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Velai illa coolie-um illa / Verumvaaya melvaaru / All :Kadhai kadhaiya solvaaru

The lines end with similar phonetic endings ('melvaaru' / 'solvaaru'), establishing a folk song cadence.

Muran (Antithesis)

Palanooru bedhamirundhum / Pesuvomae onnunnu

Juxtaposes having hundreds of differences with hypocritically pretending to be united.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Mandela' (2021), directed by debutant Madonne Ashwin and starring Yogi Babu, won two National Film Awards (Best Screenplay and Best Debut Film of a Director). The song's composer Bharath Sankar infused authentic Tamil Gaana/folk instrumentation with folk singer Anthakudi Ilayaraja's raw vocal delivery to emphasize the satirical tone of village politics.

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