Oru Paadal Naan Ketten
From Osai · 1984
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Osai1984
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Hmm hmm…mm…mm…mm…. | Hmm hmm… mm… mm… mm…. |
| Hehmmm hmm mm mmm mm… | Hehmmm hmm mm mmm mm… |
| Mm…mmm…mm…mm…mmm…. | Mm… mmm… mm… mm… mmm…. |
| Male | |
| Oru paadal naan kettaen | I heard a song |
| Un paasam adhil paarththaen | In it, I saw your affection |
| Oru paadal naan kettaen | I heard a song |
| Un paasam adhil paarththaen | In it, I saw your affection |
| Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai | There is no such thing as life on its own |
| Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum | It is simply your story and my story |
| Female | |
| Oru paadal naan kettaen… | I heard a song… |
| Female | |
| ……………. | |
| Female | |
| Naan paarkkum idam ellaam | Wherever I look |
| Kannil nee indri verillai | There is none other than you in my eyes |
| En vaazhkkaiyin aadhaaram | The foundation of my life |
| Entha naalilum neeyaagum | On any given day, it will always be you |
| Female | |
| Nee anbenum jeevanadhi | You are a river of life filled with love |
| En aalaya dheepam nee | You are the sanctuary lamp in my temple |
| Male :Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai | Male: There is no such thing as life on its own |
| Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum | It is simply your story and my story |
| Male | |
| Nee paayum nadhi aanaai | You became a flowing river |
| Unnai thaangum karai aanaen | I became the shore that holds you |
| En vaazhkkaiyil nee paadhi | You are one half of my life |
| Un vaazhkkaiyil naan paadhi | I am one half of your life |
| Male | |
| En kangalil samuththirangal | In my eyes are oceans |
| Adhil kaanbathu nampikkaigal | And what is seen in them is hope |
| Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai | There is no such thing as life on its own |
| Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum | It is simply your story and my story |
| Male | |
| En kangal urangaathu | My eyes will not sleep |
| Un poomugam kaanaathu | Without seeing your flower-like face |
| Female :Naan vaazhvathum unnaalae | Female: I live only because of you |
| Male :Nee kaaththidum anbaalae | Male: Because of the love with which you protect me |
| Female | |
| En aayiram jenmangalum | Even across my thousand births |
| Male :Un anbinai naan ketpaen | Male: I will ask for your love |
| Female :Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai | Female: There is no such thing as life on its own |
| Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum | It is simply your story and my story |
ஹ்ம்ம் ஹ்ம்....ம்ம்....ம்ம்.....ம்....
ஹீஹிம்ம் ஹ்ம்ம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ம் ம்ம்....
ம்ம்...ம்ம்ம்....ம்ம்....ம்ம்....ம்ம்ம்.....
Hmm hmm… mm… mm… mm….
Hehmmm hmm mm mmm mm…
Mm… mmm… mm… mm… mmm….
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
உன் பாசம் அதில் பார்த்தேன்
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
உன் பாசம் அதில் பார்த்தேன்
வாழ்க்கை என்று எதுவும் இல்லை
உந்தன் எந்தன் கதை ஆகும்...
I heard a song
In it, I saw your affection
I heard a song
In it, I saw your affection
There is no such thing as life on its own
It is simply your story and my story
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
I heard a song…
...........................
நான் பார்க்கும் இடம் எல்லாம்
கண்ணில் நீ இன்றி வேறில்லை
என் வாழ்க்கையின் ஆதாரம்
எந்த நாளிலும் நீயாகும்
Wherever I look
There is none other than you in my eyes
The foundation of my life
On any given day, it will always be you
நீ அன்பெனும் ஜீவநதி
என் ஆலய தீபம் நீ
வாழ்க்கை என்று எதுவும் இல்லை
உந்தன் எந்தன் கதையாகும்
You are a river of life filled with love
You are the sanctuary lamp in my temple
Male: There is no such thing as life on its own
It is simply your story and my story
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
You became a flowing river
I became the shore that holds you
You are one half of my life
I am one half of your life
நீ பாயும் நதி ஆனாய்
உன்னை தாங்கும் கரை ஆனேன்
என் வாழ்க்கையில் நீ பாதி
உன் வாழ்க்கையில் நான் பாதி
In my eyes are oceans
And what is seen in them is hope
There is no such thing as life on its own
It is simply your story and my story
என் கண்களில் சமுத்திரங்கள்
அதில் காண்பது நம்பிக்கைகள்
வாழ்க்கை என்று எதுவும் இல்லை
உந்தன் எந்தன் கதை ஆகும்
My eyes will not sleep
Without seeing your flower-like face
Female: I live only because of you
Male: Because of the love with which you protect me
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
Even across my thousand births
Male: I will ask for your love
Female: There is no such thing as life on its own
It is simply your story and my story
என் கண்கள் உறங்காது
உன் பூமுகம் காணாது
நான் வாழ்வதும் உன்னாலே
நீ காத்திடும் அன்பாலே
என் ஆயிரம் ஜென்மங்களும்
உன் அன்பினை நான் கேட்பேன்
வாழ்க்கை என்று எதுவும் இல்லை
உந்தன் எந்தன் கதையாகும்......
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
உன் பாசம் அதில் பார்த்தேன்
வாழ்க்கை என்று எதுவும் இல்லை
உந்தன் எந்தன் கதை ஆகும்...
ஒரு பாடல் நான் கேட்டேன்....
Hmm hmm…mm…mm…mm….
Hmm hmm… mm… mm… mm….
Hehmmm hmm mm mmm mm…
Hehmmm hmm mm mmm mm…
Mm…mmm…mm…mm…mmm….
Mm… mmm… mm… mm… mmm….
Oru paadal naan kettaen
I heard a song
Un paasam adhil paarththaen
In it, I saw your affection
Oru paadal naan kettaen
I heard a song
Un paasam adhil paarththaen
In it, I saw your affection
Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai
There is no such thing as life on its own
Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum
It is simply your story and my story
Oru paadal naan kettaen…
I heard a song…
…………….
Naan paarkkum idam ellaam
Wherever I look
Kannil nee indri verillai
There is none other than you in my eyes
En vaazhkkaiyin aadhaaram
The foundation of my life
Entha naalilum neeyaagum
On any given day, it will always be you
Nee anbenum jeevanadhi
You are a river of life filled with love
En aalaya dheepam nee
You are the sanctuary lamp in my temple
Male :Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai
Male: There is no such thing as life on its own
Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum
It is simply your story and my story
Nee paayum nadhi aanaai
You became a flowing river
Unnai thaangum karai aanaen
I became the shore that holds you
En vaazhkkaiyil nee paadhi
You are one half of my life
Un vaazhkkaiyil naan paadhi
I am one half of your life
En kangalil samuththirangal
In my eyes are oceans
Adhil kaanbathu nampikkaigal
And what is seen in them is hope
Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai
There is no such thing as life on its own
Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum
It is simply your story and my story
En kangal urangaathu
My eyes will not sleep
Un poomugam kaanaathu
Without seeing your flower-like face
Female :Naan vaazhvathum unnaalae
Female: I live only because of you
Male :Nee kaaththidum anbaalae
Male: Because of the love with which you protect me
En aayiram jenmangalum
Even across my thousand births
Male :Un anbinai naan ketpaen
Male: I will ask for your love
Female :Vaazhkkai endru edhuvum illai
Female: There is no such thing as life on its own
Unthan enthan kadhaiyaagum
It is simply your story and my story
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Oru Paadal Naan Kettaen' from the movie Osai (1984) is a deeply emotional, romantic duet celebrating mutual devotion, harmony, and eternal companionship. The central refrain emphasizes that 'life' is not an isolated concept, but rather a combined journey composed of two interwoven stories. The lovers reflect on how their individual identities blur into a singular bond of love and trust. Through evocative metaphors—a river and its banks, a sanctuary lamp inside a temple, and two halves of a single life—the song depicts complete emotional integration. The lyrics express a affection so timeless that it promises to endure across a thousand rebirths, conveying that love is the ultimate purpose and foundation of their existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagak Ani)
“Nee anbenum jeevanadhi”
Compares the beloved's love directly to a life-giving river ('jeevanadhi').
Metaphor (Uruvagak Ani)
“En aalaya dheepam nee”
Compares the partner to a sacred lamp ('dheepam') illuminating the temple ('aalayam') of life.
Complementary Imagery & Metaphor
“Nee paayum nadhi aanaai / Unnai thaangum karai aanaen”
Uses the complementary pair of a flowing river and supporting riverbanks to symbolize mutual dependency and emotional balance.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“En kangal urangaathu / Un poomugam kaanaathu”
Both lines end with matching rhyming suffixes ('urangaathu' / 'kaanaathu').
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1984 Tamil drama film 'Osai', directed by K. Vijayan and starring Mohan and Radhika. The film's soundtrack was composed by the popular duo Shankar-Ganesh, who composed numerous hit melodies for Mohan ('Mic' Mohan) during the 1980s. Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam with lyrics by Vaali, this duet is widely remembered for its gentle melody and delicate vocal harmony.
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