- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Movie name
- Bombay
- Movie release year
- 1995
- Lyrics added on
- 30 Jan 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Poovukenna Pootu (Halla Gulla) is an energetic and uplifting anthem from the 1995 film Bombay, directed by Mani Ratnam with music composed by A. R. Rahman and lyrics by Vaali. The song celebrates human brotherhood, freedom, and joy, drawing rich parallels from nature where wind flows without boundaries and clouds suffer no wounds. It delivers a powerful socio-political message reminding listeners that division based on caste and religion is man-made, not divine. Emphasizing that true valor lies in conquering through love rather than taking lives, the track serves as a hopeful call for unity and togetherness amid conflict.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Poovukenna pootu kaatrukenna rootu”
Comparing human freedom to natural elements like wind having no fixed route and the sun having no night.
Morphological Parallelism / Ethugai
“Kaanathaanae kangal kaneer sindha illai”
Repetition of the root infinitive pattern ending with '-adhaanae' across consecutive lines (Kaanathaanae, Vaazhathanae, Paadathanae, Vellathanae).
Linguistic Code-Mixing
“Nee sirichaa deewanaa kaikodutha masthana”
Blending Hindi/Urdu slang words like 'deewana', 'masthana', and 'roopu theraa' into Tamil syntax to reflect the cosmopolitan Bombay setting.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A. R. Rahman for Mani Ratnam's acclaimed drama Bombay (1995), the song incorporates Hindi/Urdu celebratory phrases into Tamil lyrics to capture the multicultural atmosphere of Mumbai.
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