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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pathukulle Number Onnu

From Vasool Raja MBBS · 2004

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Shreya Ghoshal, Kay Kay
Music director
Bharathwaj
Details
Vasool Raja MBBS2004

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
{Pathukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollven} (2)And I will tell you who lives in my heart.
Ezhu enghirai enn ezhu swaram avanYou say seven; he is my seven musical notes,
Ezhu janmamai ennai aala vandhavanHe is the one who came to rule over me across seven births.
Avan veruyaru kannadi paaru…Who else could he be? Look in the mirror...
Male
Pattukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollvenAnd I will tell you who lives in my heart.
Aindhu enghirai enn aindhu nilamavalYou say five; she is my five landscapes,
Aindhu pulangalil ennai aatchi seibavalShe is the one who rules over my five senses.
Aval veruyaru kannadi paaru….Who else could she be? Look in the mirror...
Female
Pathukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollvenAnd I will tell you who lives in my heart.
Female
Mayangal seithathu un soozhchiYour plot worked its magic,
Enn maarbukku naduvilae neerveezhchiA waterfall cascades in the middle of my chest.
Male
Hey aasaiku eenadi araichiHey, why research into desire?
En meesaiku badhil sollu meenachiAnswer my mustache, Meenakshi!
Female
Eskimokal naatil ada ice enna puthusaIs ice something new in the land of Eskimos?
Kaamaraajan uthadil ada kiss enna puthusa..Is a kiss something new on the lips of the King of Love?
Male
Ada kiss-u endral uthadugal piriyumAh, when you say 'kiss', lips part away,
Thamizh mutham endral uthadugal innayumBut when you say 'Thamizh mutham' (Tamil kiss), lips join together!
Female
Thagararu ethu thamizmutham poduWhy argue? Give me a Tamil kiss!
Male
Pattukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollvenAnd I will tell you who lives in my heart.
Male
Ullaadum unarchi theeyaghaThe surging emotion inside turned into fire,
Yen ullathai marathai neeyaghaYou became the tree in my heart.
Female
Haa thanneeril vizhundha nizhal pola…Ah, like a shadow fallen into water...
Nan nanayamal irundhen nanagha..I remained unsoaked as myself..
Male
Thooram nindru paarthal nee panchadaitha meniSeen from afar, your body is soft like cotton,
Nerunghi vandhu paarthen nee nenchezhutha kaariComing close, I saw you write upon my heart.
Female
Nenjil vithaithen muthal naal unaiyaeeeOn the first day, I sowed you in my heart,
Enn madiyil mulaithai marunaal veliyaeeeThe next day, you sprouted in my lap.
Male
Nall vaarthai sonnai nadamaadum theevaeYou spoke sweet words, O walking island!
Male
Pattukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollvenAnd I will tell you who lives in my heart.
Aindhu enghirai enn aindhu nilamavalYou say five; she is my five landscapes,
Aindhu pulangalil ennai aatchi seibavalShe is the one who rules over my five senses.
Aval veruyaru kannadi paaru….Who else could she be? Look in the mirror...
Female
Pathukullae number onnu solluPick a number from one to ten,
Enn nenjukullae yaar endru sollven..And I will tell you who lives in my heart..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a playful and romantic duet from Vasool Raja MBBS (2004). The lovers engage in a playful game centered around guessing numbers from 1 to 10. The heroine associates the number seven with the seven musical notes (Swaras) and seven births, dedicating her life to her lover. In response, the hero connects the number five to the five classical Tamil landscapes (Ainthinai) and his five senses, declaring that she commands them all. Throughout the song, they exchange creative metaphors and humorous banter about love, desire, and intimacy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Phonetic Wordplay / Linguistic Observation

Ada kiss-u endral uthadugal piriyum Thamizh mutham endral uthadugal innayum

Vairamuthu cleverly highlights that pronouncing the English word 'Kiss' forces the lips to part, whereas pronouncing the Tamil word 'Mutham' brings the lips together.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Ezhu enghirai enn ezhu swaram avan

Repetition of initial vowel sounds ('Ezhu' / 'enn' / 'ezhu') creating a rhythmic flow.

Metaphor (Uruvakam)

Nall vaarthai sonnai nadamaadum theevae

The lover addresses his beloved as a 'walking island' (nadamaadum theevu), evoking a romantic and distinct poetic visual.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Mayangal seithathu un soozhchi Enn maarbukku naduvilae neerveezhchi

Rhyming of second consonant patterns ('soozhchi' and 'neerveezhchi') at line ends.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Bharadwaj for the Kamal Haasan starrer 'Vasool Raja MBBS' (2004) with lyrics by Vairamuthu, sung by KK and Shreya Ghoshal. The clever observation about lip movement when pronouncing 'Mutham' vs 'Kiss' became one of the most famous viral lyrics of the era.

Keep listening

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