- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singers
- Shankar Mahadevan, Shweta Mohan
- Music director
- Anirudh Ravichander
- Movie name
- Kaththi
- Movie release year
- 2014
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Nov 2017
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Tho dhilu shaamilu huye hai
Dora se milne ye chuke hai
Kabar din ek jaane hai
Dho jaaha ek bane hai
Yeei kottu kottu melam kottu
Kattu kattu paalam kattu
Idhayatha idhayathukku
Inaikka paalam kattu
Tho dhilu shaamilu huye hai
Dora se milne ye chuke hai
Kabar din ek jaane hai
Dho jaaha ek bane hai
Mars-la ivan porandhaan
Venus-la iva porandha
Grahanga renduthukkum
Irukkum paalam yethu
……………………………
Ada daa sorgathula maram eduththu
Kattuna paalam thaan
Female :Mm..muththathula katti vacha
Paalam kaadhal thaan
Kaadhal oru
Medhava medhava paalam
Adhu illana nenjukulla
Mirugam mirugam vaazhum
……………………………
Kaadhal oru
Medhava medhava paalam
Adhu illana nenjukulla
Mirugam mirugam vaazhum
Besh besh romba nannaa irukku
Andakula adhipadhi neeyae
Namo namo naaraayanaaya
Thondarkulam pottrum unnayae
Namo namo naaraayanaaya
Ohhooo… thunbam inga
Oru karai thaan
Inbam anga maru karaithaan
Rendukkum maththiyila
Odum paalam yethu
Ohoo…kovilula kalleduththa
Bhakthiyila solleduthu
Kattina paalam yethu
Saami paalam adhu
Oh paavam senjaa karakaluva
Ninaikkum boomithaan
Female :Paavaththa nee unarndhuputta
Neeyum saamithaan
Saami oru
Kurukku kurukku paalam
Adhu illaenaa
Boomi ingae
Kirukku kirukku kolam
…………………………….
Saami oru
Kurukku kurukku paalam
Adhu illaenaa
Boomi ingae
Kirukku kirukku kolam
Humpty dumpty anga falling down
Jack n jillu inga rolling down
Londan bridge is ayyo fallingaaa
Ringa ringa all fall down.
Ye…nethu verum irul mayamthaan
Naalai adhu olimayam thaan
Nalla edhirkaalathuthukku
Pogum paalam yethu
Ohooo…kurumbula irumbeduthu
Arivula narambeduthu
Ezhuppuna paalam yethu
Kulandha paalam adhu
Ohoo…vaanathula meen pidichu
Rasikkum vayasuthaan
Male :Ellarukkum venum andha
Kulandha manasuthaan
Kulandhainga
Kanavu kanavu paalam
Adhil ponaalae kannu munnae
Oliyum olirum kaalam
………………………..
Kulandhainga
Kanavu kanavu paalam
Adhil ponaalae kannu munnae
Oliyum olirum kaalam
Kuthukalla pola nindaanae
Puttukinu poyae puttanae
Ettukaalu poochi aattamthaan
Naasamaai nadandhu varaanae
Hey porappadhum oru nodithaan
Erappadhum oru nodithaan
Solladi gnyanaponnu
Rendukum paalam yethu
Anju moota pooveduthu
Nerathula naar eduthu
Kattuna paalam yethu
Vaazhka paalam adhu
Paadhiyila mullirukkum
Kuththuna kathaadhae
Female :Beer-adichi ninna kooda
Adhuvum kathaathae
Vazhkka adhu
Poovula kattuna paalam
Nee sethaalum
Serthu vecha puniyam
Ennaikkum vaazhum
Vazhkka adhu
Poovula kattuna paalam
Nee sethaalum
Serthu vecha puniyam
Ennaikkum vaazhum
Two hearts have joined together
They have gone to meet their master
One day the grave will know
Two worlds have become one
Hey, beat the drums, beat the drums!
Build a bridge, build a bridge!
To connect heart to heart,
Build a bridge!
Two hearts have joined together
They have gone to meet their master
One day the grave will know
Two worlds have become one
He was born on Mars
She was born on Venus
Between these two planets,
Which bridge connects them?
...
Oh, taking wood from paradise,
The bridge that was built,
Female: Mm... built with kisses,
That bridge is love!
Love is a
Floating, floating bridge
Without it, inside the heart
A wild beast will dwell
...
Love is a
Floating, floating bridge
Without it, inside the heart
A wild beast will dwell
Bravo, bravo! It is wonderful!
You are the master of the universe!
Salutations to Lord Narayana!
Praised by all your devotees,
Salutations to Lord Narayana!
Oho... sorrow is here
On one shore,
And joy is there on the other shore
In between the two,
Which bridge runs across?
Oho... taking stone from a temple,
Taking words filled with devotion,
Which bridge was built?
That is God's bridge!
Oh, to wash away committed sins,
It is the earth that wishes
Female: If you realize your sin,
You too are God!
God is a
Shortcut, shortcut bridge
Without that,
The earth here
Is a crazy, chaotic mess
...
God is a
Shortcut, shortcut bridge
Without that,
The earth here
Is a crazy, chaotic mess
Humpty Dumpty is falling down over there
Jack and Jill are rolling down over here
London Bridge is, oh dear, falling down
Ring a ring o' roses, all fall down!
Hey... yesterday was pure darkness
Tomorrow will be filled with light
Towards a bright future,
Which bridge leads the way?
Oho... taking iron from playful mischief,
Taking nerves from wisdom,
Which bridge was raised?
That is the child's bridge!
Oho... catching fish in the sky,
Is the age of wonder and joy
Male: Everyone needs that
Childlike heart!
Children are a
Dream, dream bridge
If you walk upon it, right before your eyes,
Future times will shine and glow
...
Children are a
Dream, dream bridge
If you walk upon it, right before your eyes,
Future times will shine and glow
He stood firm like a milestone
Then broke down and went to pieces
Dancing like an eight-legged spider,
He comes walking destructively
Hey, birth takes just a single moment
Death too takes just a single moment
Tell me, wise girl,
Which bridge connects the two?
Taking five bags of flowers,
Taking fiber in due time,
Which bridge was built?
That is the bridge of life!
There will be thorns along the way,
If they prick, do not scream!
Female: Even if standing drunk on beer,
Even that will not scream!
Life is a
Bridge woven out of flowers
Even if you die,
The good deeds you earned
Will live on forever!
Life is a
Bridge woven out of flowers
Even if you die,
The good deeds you earned
Will live on forever!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Paalam' from the movie Kaththi (2014) uses the metaphor of a bridge (paalam) to explore various emotional, spiritual, and existential facets of human life. Through rhythmic Tamil lyrics intertwined with quirky Hindi and English nursery rhymes, lyricist Yugabharathi questions what connects opposing ends of human experience—such as Mars and Venus (love), sorrow and joy (devotion), dark past and bright future (childhood innocence), and birth and death (life itself). Each verse identifies a specific bridge: love built of kisses that tames the inner beast, devotion that leads to divine realization, childhood dreams that illuminate the future, and life made of flowers where good deeds outlive mortality. Visually and musically energetic, the track serves as a playful yet philosophical commentary on human connections and morality.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Kaadhal oru Medhava medhava paalam”
Life, love, devotion, and childhood are metaphorically portrayed as different types of bridges connecting two shores of human experience.
Repetition (Anaphora/Epanalepsis)
“Kattu kattu paalam kattu”
The word 'paalam' (bridge) is repeated systematically at the end of key descriptive lines throughout the song for musical accentuation.
Ethukai (Tamil Second-letter Rhyme)
“Grahanga renduthukkum / Irukkum paalam yethu”
The second Tamil letter 'r' (ற) rhymes across lines ('Grahanga' / 'Irukkum').
Monai (Tamil Alliteration)
“Kattu kattu paalam kattu”
Initial consonant sound 'K' is repeated across words in the line.
Keep listening
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