- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Vani Rani
- Movie release year
- 1974
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Nov 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
'Paathu Po' from Vani Rani (1974) is a philosophical commentary written by poet Kannadasan. Set to a catchy, conversational tempo, the song serves as a gentle yet sharp warning to navigate life with extreme caution. It points out that the road of life contains both true friends and opportunistic, sly people ('foxes'), and reminds us that human intentions are unpredictable, as today's upright citizen can become corrupt tomorrow. The song further delves into themes of karma, contentment, and ultimate accountability. Using natural dualities—a man in the ocean becoming fish food, and a fish on land becoming man's food—Kannadasan highlights how circumstances dictate power. Ultimately, the song preaches that true peace of mind is priceless compared to endless material greed, and that every action taken today will eventually testify for or against a person when they reach positions of power.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Sila narigalum vilaiyaadum”
Comparing untrustworthy or treacherous people to 'narigal' (foxes) who pretend to play on the same road.
Irony and Role Reversal (முரண்)
“Kadalukkullae manidhan vizhundhaal / Meenukku unavaagum”
Contrasting predator and prey based on environment—a human in the ocean becomes fish food, while a fish on land becomes human food.
Antithesis / Contrast (எதிரிடை)
“Pagalilum thookkam varum ... Iravilum yaekkam varum”
Contrasting daytime sleep brought by contentment against nighttime restlessness brought by endless greed for wealth.
Did you know?
Trivia
Vani Rani (1974) features Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan in a dual role alongside Vanisri. The film's musical score was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with lyrics crafted by Kannadasan, who often infused practical life philosophy and moral warnings into simple folk-style songs like this one.
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