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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sandi Kuthirai

From Kaaviya Thalaivan · 2014

Lyricist
Pa. Vijay
Singer
Haricharan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Kaaviya Thalaivan2014

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Mehhh…haeee…Mehhh…haeee…
…………………………………………….…………………………………………….
Male
Hey sandi kudhiraHey stubborn horse!
Vaayendi edhiraCome stand in front of me!
Madhura kudhira edhirae vandhaWhen the Madurai horse comes in front...
Chorus :Raa…..raaa….Chorus: Raa…..raaa….
Male
Mohana mohanaOh Mohana, beautiful Mohana!
Naanum un maamanaAm I your maternal uncle/suitor?
Maaravaa bheemanaShould I turn into Bheema?
Vaayyen kitta kittaCome closer, closer!
Vaaya thachi vittaYour mouth is stitched shut!
Male
Hey sandi kudhiraHey stubborn horse!
Vaayendi edhiraCome stand in front of me!
Madhura kudhira edhirae vandhaWhen the Madurai horse comes in front...
Male
MohanaChorus :MohanaMohana (Chorus: Mohana)
Male :Naanum unChorus :MaamanaMale: Am I your (Chorus: Uncle/suitor)
Male :MaaravaaChorus :BheemanaMale: Should I turn into (Chorus: Bheema)
Male
Vaayyen kitta kittaCome closer, closer!
Vaaya thachi vittaYour mouth is stitched shut!
Ah ha eee ammaayiAh ha eee young girl!
Aazhakukku naakuA tongue made for beauty!
Oo ooh ae un munnaeOo ooh ae right in front of you!
Moraikadhae ye paarthuDon't glare while looking!
Male
Hey sandi kudhiraHey stubborn horse!
Vaayendi edhiraCome stand in front of me!
Chorus :Madhura kudhiraChorus: Madurai horse
Edhirae vandhaCame right in front!
Chorus
Ha ha ha haHa ha ha ha
Raaa…raaa…Raaa…raaa…
Male
Yaana kuttiElephant calf
Chorus :Poona kuttiChorus: Kitten
Male :Aattu KuttiMale: Goat kid
Chorus :Aandha kuttiChorus: Owl chick
Male
Maan kuttiFawn (deer calf)
Unna naanum mallu kattiWrestling with you...
Thooka porenI am going to lift you up!
Kannu kutti ponnu kuttiCalf, young girl!
Vaayaakatti veikkaporenI am going to tie up your mouth!
Male
Muyalae muyalaeRabbit, rabbit!
Muzhikum muyalaeBlinking rabbit!
Edhirae irukku azhagu mudhalaIn front of you is a beautiful crocodile!
Chorus
Ah ha eee ammaayiAh ha eee young girl!
Aazhakukku naakuA tongue made for beauty!
Oo ooh ae un munnaeOo ooh ae right in front of you!
Moraikadhae ye paarthuDon't glare while looking!
Male
MohanaChorus :MohanaMohana (Chorus: Mohana)
Male :Naanum unChorus :MaamanaMale: Am I your (Chorus: Uncle/suitor)
Male :MaaravaaChorus :BheemanaMale: Should I turn into (Chorus: Bheema)
Male
Naanamae mounamaIs shyness silent?
Kaaviyam pesumaDoes poetry speak?
Premaiyae kovamaIs love expressed as anger?
Pechu kaachu moochuSpeech, heat, and breath...
Mookarundhu pochuLost face and got humiliated!
Male
ThendralaeChorus :ThendralaeBreeze (Chorus: Breeze)
Male :KovamaChorus :AndrilaeMale: Are you angry? (Chorus: Like an Andril bird)
Male :SuthudhaeChorus :ThingalaeMale: It spins (Chorus: Oh Moon!)
Male :Nadagathin ullaeMale: Inside this play
Naanga vatchamoe mullaeDid we plant a thorn?
Male
Kuyilae kuyilaeCuckoo, cuckoo!
Kuraikum kuyilaeBarking cuckoo!
Vellakaaran vitta railaeThe train left behind by the white man!
Chorus
Natakaa pitakaDrama scripts and basket of texts
Othukaa ah pokkaAgree to it or move on!
Attika aanakirukkaIs the necklace turned crazy?
Etikana ah mookkaCan your nose reach it?
Male
Hey sandi kudhiraHey stubborn horse!
Vaayendi edhiraCome stand in front of me!
Madhura kudhiraMadurai horse...
Edhirae vandhaCame right in front!
Male
MohanaChorus :MohanaMohana (Chorus: Mohana)
Male :Naanum unChorus :MaamanaMale: Am I your (Chorus: Uncle/suitor)
Male :MaaravaaChorus :BheemanaMale: Should I turn into (Chorus: Bheema)
Male
Adiyae kudhira vediHey horse cracker!
Anjarana seena vediFive-and-a-half anna Chinese cracker!
Vanna vanna vaana vediColorful sky fireworks!
Kuttuvedi pottuvediPalm cracker and dot cracker!
Male
Athanai vedigalumaeAll those crackers put together...
Chorus :Anjula minjura vediChorus: A cracker that surpasses all five!
Male :Unnudaiya pechuvediMale: Is your explosive speech!
Chorus :Ullabadi ullathadiChorus: That is the absolute truth!
Male
Ananan nae naeBrother, brother!
Annilannae kathai ennaeSquirrel brother, what is the story?
Purinjudhunae muyalannaeI understood, rabbit brother!
Therinjudhu annaeI found out, brother!
Pen maanae thaenaeFemale deer, sweet honey!
Thirunthunna pothunnaeIt is enough if you reform, brother!
Male
Yaana kutti poona kuttiElephant calf, kitten,
Aattu kutti kannu kuttiGoat kid, calf,
Annil kutti aandha kuttiSquirrel baby, owl chick,
Nari kutti puli kuttiFox pup, tiger cub,
Karadi kutti kuthira kuttiBear cub, foal,
Kuyilu kutti mayilu kuttiCuckoo chick, peacock chick,
Kozhi kutti eli kuttiChick, baby rat,
Maan kutti mannu kuttiFawn, tiny creature,
Intha kutti endha kuttiWhich baby is this baby?
Vaayadum kathu kutti kathu kuttiTalkative novice child, novice child,
Jammeenu pattu kutti chuttu kuttiRoyal silk child, mischievous child,
Ennoda ella kutti chella kuttiMy everything child, precious darling,
Vella katti vella kattiJaggery block, jaggery block,
Mutham kududiiiGive me a kiss!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Sandi Kudhira is a high-energy theatrical song from the period drama film Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014). Crafted in the style of early 20th-century Tamil drama troupe musicals (Isai Nadagam), the song captures a playful, rhythmic banter and comedic duel between two lead stage performers. Filled with theatrical insults, rhythmic wordplay, and mythological references, the song illustrates the intense yet humorous flirtation between the lovers on and off the stage. The lyricist uses lively metaphors, comparing the heroine to a stubborn horse ('sandi kudhira') and explosive fireworks ('pechuvedi'), while the hero compares himself to a crocodile or the mythical hero Bheema. The track culminates in a rapid listing of young animals ('kutti'), building a chaotic and whimsical crescendo that ends with an affectionate demand for a kiss.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Hey sandi kudhira

Compares the stubborn and fiery girl to an untrained horse (sandi kudhira).

Anaphora / Repetition (Eyalbu / Rhyme)

Yaana kutti poona kutti / Aattu kutti kannu kutti

Rhythmic end-rhyme repetition of 'kutti' across lines to mimic theatrical nursery-rhyme patterns.

Hyperbole & Imagery

Unnudaiya pechuvedi

Compares the woman's rapid and sharp words to a series of explosive fireworks.

Oxymoron / Playful Paradox

Kuraikum kuyilae

Combines 'kuraikum' (barking) with 'kuyilae' (cuckoo bird) for comedic theatrical effect.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kaaviya Thalaivan (2014) depicts the lives of drama troupe actors in 1920s-1930s Tamil Nadu. The music for the film was composed by A. R. Rahman. 'Sandi Kudhira' was rendered by singer Haricharan, who adapted his vocal tone to mimic old-school Tamil stage actors' grandiloquent and rhythmic delivery style.

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