Podhum Podhum Poda
From Kavalan Avan Kovalan · 1987
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Vijay Anand
- Details
- Kavalan Avan Kovalan1987
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Pothum pothu poda poda | Enough, enough, go away, go away! |
| Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa | Who are you? Come face to face! |
| Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa | Am I a puppet dancing on a string? |
| Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming? |
| Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu | My pulse beats ten million times, |
| Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno | An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that? |
| Male | |
| Pothum pothu poda poda | Enough, enough, go away, go away! |
| Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa | Who are you? Come face to face! |
| Male | |
| Thookam enbathu kannai vittathu | Sleep has left my eyes, |
| Thunabam enbathu nenjai thottathu | Sorrow has touched my heart. |
| Poorva jenma paavam endru sollalaamo | Can this be called a sin from a past life? |
| Paaviyae nee maranthirunthae kollalaamo | O sinner, will you kill me by staying hidden? |
| Male | |
| Engiruntho yaevi vitta ambu thaano | Is this an arrow shot from somewhere? |
| Vilai koduththu vaangidaatha vambu thaani | Is this uninvited trouble bought at a high price? |
| Kadavul seitha leelai thaano | Is this a divine play of God? |
| Manithan seitha velai thaano | Or is it the deed of a human? |
| Aaga moththam intha nenjil amaithiyillai yaen | Overall, why is there no peace in this heart? |
| Male | |
| Pothum pothu poda poda | Enough, enough, go away, go away! |
| Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa | Who are you? Come face to face! |
| Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa | Am I a puppet dancing on a string? |
| Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming? |
| Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu | My pulse beats ten million times, |
| Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno | An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that? |
| Male | |
| Oor pugazhnthidum kalaingan allavaa | Am I not an artist praised by the whole town? |
| Naan thaviththidum kadhaiyai sollavaa | Shall I tell the story of my suffering? |
| Karpanaigal sinthanaigal odavillai | My imagination and thoughts refuse to flow, |
| Camera-vum sonna pechai ketkkavillai | Even the camera refuses to listen to my words! |
| Male | |
| Nettru varaiyil i ntha nenjil achchamillai | Until yesterday, there was no fear in this heart, |
| Saerththu vaiththa veeramindru michamillai | Today, none of my accumulated courage remains! |
| Kaalam seitha kolamthaano | Is this a play of fate? |
| Thavari pona thaalam thaano | Is this a rhythm that went wrong? |
| Kelvi mattum ingirukku | Only questions exist here, |
| Vidaigalillai yaen yaen…. | Why are there no answers, why, why...? |
| Male | |
| Pothum pothu poda poda | Enough, enough, go away, go away! |
| Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa | Who are you? Come face to face! |
| Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa | Am I a puppet dancing on a string? |
| Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming? |
| Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu | My pulse beats ten million times, |
| Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno | An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that? |
| Male | |
| Pothum pothu poda poda | Enough, enough, go away, go away! |
| Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa | Who are you? Come face to face! |
போதும் போதும் போடா போடா
நீதான் யாரோ நேரில் வாடா
நூலினில் ஆடும் பொம்மையும் நானா
தூண்டிலில் மாட்டி துள்ளிடும் மீனா
நாடி ஒரு கோடி முறை துடிக்குது
ஓசை மணி நூறு முறை அடிக்குது ஏனோ
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Who are you? Come face to face!
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
My pulse beats ten million times,
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
போதும் போதும் போடா போடா
நீதான் யாரோ நேரில் வாடா
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Who are you? Come face to face!
தூக்கம் என்பது கண்ணை விட்டது
துன்பம் என்பது நெஞ்சை தொட்டது
பூர்வ ஜென்ம பாவம் என்று சொல்லலாமோ
பாவியே நீ மறைந்திருந்தே கொல்லலாமோ
Sleep has left my eyes,
Sorrow has touched my heart.
Can this be called a sin from a past life?
O sinner, will you kill me by staying hidden?
எங்கிருந்தோ ஏவி விட்ட அம்பு தானோ
விலை கொடுத்து வாங்கிடாத வம்பு தானோ
கடவுள் செய்த லீலை தானோ
மனிதன் செய்த வேலை தானோ
ஆக மொத்தம் இந்த நெஞ்சில் அமைதியில்லை ஏன்...
Is this an arrow shot from somewhere?
Is this uninvited trouble bought at a high price?
Is this a divine play of God?
Or is it the deed of a human?
Overall, why is there no peace in this heart?
போதும் போதும் போடா போடா
நீதான் யாரோ நேரில் வாடா....
நூலினில் ஆடும் பொம்மையும் நானா
தூண்டிலில் மாட்டி துள்ளிடும் மீனா
நாடி ஒரு கோடி முறை துடிக்குது
ஓசை மணி நூறு முறை அடிக்குது ஏனோ
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Who are you? Come face to face!
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
My pulse beats ten million times,
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
ஊர் புகழ்ந்திடும் கலைஞன் அல்லவா
நான் தவித்திடும் கதையை சொல்லவா
கற்பனைகள் சிந்தனைகள் ஓடவில்லை
கேமராவும் சொன்ன பேச்சை கேட்கவில்லை
Am I not an artist praised by the whole town?
Shall I tell the story of my suffering?
My imagination and thoughts refuse to flow,
Even the camera refuses to listen to my words!
நேற்று வரையில் இந்த நெஞ்சில் அச்சமில்லை
சேர்த்து வைத்த வீரமின்று மிச்சமில்லை
காலம் செய்த கோலம் தானோ
தவறி போன தாளம் தானோ
கேள்வி மட்டும் இங்கிருக்கு
விடைகளில்லை ஏன்.....ஏன்.....
Until yesterday, there was no fear in this heart,
Today, none of my accumulated courage remains!
Is this a play of fate?
Is this a rhythm that went wrong?
Only questions exist here,
Why are there no answers, why, why...?
போதும் போதும் போடா போடா
நீதான் யாரோ நேரில் வாடா
நூலினில் ஆடும் பொம்மையும் நானா
தூண்டிலில் மாட்டி துள்ளிடும் மீனா
நாடி ஒரு கோடி முறை துடிக்குது
ஓசை மணி நூறு முறை அடிக்குது ஏனோ
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Who are you? Come face to face!
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
My pulse beats ten million times,
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
போதும் போதும் போடா போடா
நீதான் யாரோ நேரில் வாடா
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Who are you? Come face to face!
Pothum pothu poda poda
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa
Who are you? Come face to face!
Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu
My pulse beats ten million times,
Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
Pothum pothu poda poda
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa
Who are you? Come face to face!
Thookam enbathu kannai vittathu
Sleep has left my eyes,
Thunabam enbathu nenjai thottathu
Sorrow has touched my heart.
Poorva jenma paavam endru sollalaamo
Can this be called a sin from a past life?
Paaviyae nee maranthirunthae kollalaamo
O sinner, will you kill me by staying hidden?
Engiruntho yaevi vitta ambu thaano
Is this an arrow shot from somewhere?
Vilai koduththu vaangidaatha vambu thaani
Is this uninvited trouble bought at a high price?
Kadavul seitha leelai thaano
Is this a divine play of God?
Manithan seitha velai thaano
Or is it the deed of a human?
Aaga moththam intha nenjil amaithiyillai yaen
Overall, why is there no peace in this heart?
Pothum pothu poda poda
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa
Who are you? Come face to face!
Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu
My pulse beats ten million times,
Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
Oor pugazhnthidum kalaingan allavaa
Am I not an artist praised by the whole town?
Naan thaviththidum kadhaiyai sollavaa
Shall I tell the story of my suffering?
Karpanaigal sinthanaigal odavillai
My imagination and thoughts refuse to flow,
Camera-vum sonna pechai ketkkavillai
Even the camera refuses to listen to my words!
Nettru varaiyil i ntha nenjil achchamillai
Until yesterday, there was no fear in this heart,
Saerththu vaiththa veeramindru michamillai
Today, none of my accumulated courage remains!
Kaalam seitha kolamthaano
Is this a play of fate?
Thavari pona thaalam thaano
Is this a rhythm that went wrong?
Kelvi mattum ingirukku
Only questions exist here,
Vidaigalillai yaen yaen….
Why are there no answers, why, why...?
Pothum pothu poda poda
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa
Who are you? Come face to face!
Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa
Am I a puppet dancing on a string?
Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook, squirming?
Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu
My pulse beats ten million times,
Osai mani nooru murai adikkuthu yaeno
An alarm bell rings a hundred times, why is that?
Pothum pothu poda poda
Enough, enough, go away, go away!
Needhaan yaaro neril vaadaa
Who are you? Come face to face!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Pothum Pothu Poda Poda expresses the intense anguish, anxiety, and existential dread of a protagonist who feels tormented by unseen forces. Expressed through vivid creative imagery—such as a filmmaker losing control of his camera and imagination—the character compares his situation to a puppet dancing on a string or a fish trapped on a hook. He feels his heart racing and sleep slipping away under immense psychological pressure. The lyricist Vaali uses poignant metaphors to illustrate a complete loss of inner peace, courage, and direction. The protagonist questions whether his agony stems from past-life karma, human conspiracy, or divine fate, concluding in frustration as he demands his unseen tormentor show their face.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamai (Simile/Metaphor)
“Noolinil aadum bommaiyum naanaa / Thoondilil maatti thullidum meenaa”
Compares the protagonist's helpless psychological state to a string-puppet and a hooked fish.
Atishayokthi (Hyperbole)
“Naadi oru kodi murai thudikkthu”
Exaggerates the racing heartbeat to 'ten million times' to express peak panic and dread.
Emonai (Initial Letter Rhyme)
“Thookam enbathu kannai vittathu / Thunabam enbathu nenjai thottathu”
Initial letters 'Thoo' (Thookam) and 'Thu' (Thunabam) rhyme across consecutive lines.
Rhetorical Question
“Kadavul seitha leelai thaano / Manithan seitha velai thaano”
Poses a series of philosophical questions regarding divine intervention versus human scheme, highlighting internal helplessness.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kavalan Avan Kovalan (1987) was directed by Visu and stars Prabhu along with Rekha and Radhika. This song, composed by Vijayanand and sung forcefully by Malaysia Vasudevan, highlights the protagonist's professional and personal mental crisis through film-related metaphors like camera and imagination.
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