Sattam Oru Iruttarai
From Sattam Oru Iruttarai · 1981
- Lyricist
- Kamakodiyan
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Sattam Oru Iruttarai1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sattam oru iruttarai | The law is a dark room |
| Anna sonnaar | Anna said so |
| Aringar anna sonnaar | Scholar Anna said so |
| Male | |
| Adhai purinju nadappavan | The one who understands this and acts |
| Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan | Walks tall and upright in this world |
| Summa nadungi kidappavan | The one who just lies trembling |
| Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan | Wiggles around like a worm |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai | In his mind, the law is a dark room |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai…. | In his mind, the law is a dark room... |
| Male | |
| Sattam oru iruttarai | The law is a dark room |
| Anna sonnaar | Anna said so |
| Aringar anna sonnaar | Scholar Anna said so |
| Male | |
| Adhai purinju nadappavan u | The one who understands this and acts |
| Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan | Walks tall and upright in this world |
| Summa nadungi kidappavan | The one who just lies trembling |
| Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan | Wiggles around like a worm |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai | In his mind, the law is a dark room |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai…. | In his mind, the law is a dark room... |
| Male | |
| Unakku ondru enakku ondru sattaththil illa | There is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law |
| Thanakku endru edhuvum antha needhiyil illai | That justice has no selfish bias for itself |
| Aa…aa… unakku odru enakku ondru sattaththil illa | Aa...aa... there is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law |
| Thanakku endru edhuvum antha needhiyil illai | That justice has no selfish bias for itself |
| Male | |
| Idaiyilae kolaaru thaduththida nee yaaru | There is a fault in between, who are you to stop it? |
| Thunivudan munaerun nadapathuthaan veru | Move forward with courage, what actually happens is different |
| Male | |
| Pasiyil vaadum pillikkaag apaavaththai senjaan | He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger |
| Antha paavaththilae kulichavalo labaththai kandaa | The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit |
| Pasiyil vaadum pillaikkaaga paavaththai senjaan | He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger |
| Antha paavaththilae kulichavalo labaththai kandaa | The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit |
| Male | |
| Yaezhaigalim illaamai ellaamae vilambaram | The poverty of the poor is made into a spectacle |
| Iruppavar vaazhkkaiyo oorARINJA RAGASIYAM | While the lifestyle of the wealthy is an open secret |
| Male | |
| Sattam oru iruttarai | The law is a dark room |
| Anna sonnaar | Anna said so |
| Aringar anna sonnaar | Scholar Anna said so |
| Male | |
| Adhai purinju nadappavan u | The one who understands this and acts |
| Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan | Walks tall and upright in this world |
| Summa nadungi kidappavan | The one who just lies trembling |
| Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan | Wiggles around like a worm |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai…. | In his mind, the law is a dark room... |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai…. | In his mind, the law is a dark room... |
| Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai…. | In his mind, the law is a dark room... |
சட்டம் ஒரு இருட்டறை......
அண்ணா சொன்னார்
அறிஞர் அண்ணா சொன்னார்
The law is a dark room
Anna said so
Scholar Anna said so
அதை புரிஞ்சு நடப்பவன் உலகில்
நிமிர்ந்து நடக்கிறான்
சும்மா நடுங்கி கிடப்பவன்
புழு போல் நெளிஞ்சு கிடக்கிறான்
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
The one who understands this and acts
Walks tall and upright in this world
The one who just lies trembling
Wiggles around like a worm
In his mind, the law is a dark room
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
சட்டம் ஒரு இருட்டறை......
அண்ணா சொன்னார்
அறிஞர் அண்ணா சொன்னார்
The law is a dark room
Anna said so
Scholar Anna said so
அதை புரிஞ்சு நடப்பவன் உலகில்
நிமிர்ந்து நடக்கிறான்
சும்மா நடுங்கி கிடப்பவன்
புழு போல் நெளிஞ்சு கிடக்கிறான்
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
The one who understands this and acts
Walks tall and upright in this world
The one who just lies trembling
Wiggles around like a worm
In his mind, the law is a dark room
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
உனக்கு ஒன்று எனக்கு ஒன்று சட்டத்தில் இல்ல
தனக்கு என்று எதுவும் அந்த நீதியில் இல்லை
ஆ....ஆ....உனக்கு ஒன்று எனக்கு ஒன்று சட்டத்தில் இல்ல
தனக்கு என்று எதுவும் அந்த நீதியில் இல்லை
There is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law
That justice has no selfish bias for itself
Aa...aa... there is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law
That justice has no selfish bias for itself
இடையிலே கோளாறு தடுத்திட நீ யாரு
துணிவுடன் முன்னேறு நடப்பதுதான் வேறு.....
There is a fault in between, who are you to stop it?
Move forward with courage, what actually happens is different
சட்டம் ஒரு இருட்டறை......
அண்ணா சொன்னார்
அறிஞர் அண்ணா சொன்னார்
He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger
The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit
He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger
The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit
அதை புரிஞ்சு நடப்பவன் உலகில்
நிமிர்ந்து நடக்கிறான்
சும்மா நடுங்கி கிடப்பவன்
புழு போல் நெளிஞ்சு கிடக்கிறான்
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
The poverty of the poor is made into a spectacle
While the lifestyle of the wealthy is an open secret
பசியில் வாடும் பிள்ளைக்காக பாவத்தை செஞ்சான்
அந்த பாவத்திலே குளிச்சவளோ லாபத்தை கண்டா
பசியில் வாடும் பிள்ளைக்காக பாவத்தை செஞ்சான்
அந்த பாவத்திலே குளிச்சவளோ லாபத்தை கண்டா
The law is a dark room
Anna said so
Scholar Anna said so
ஏழைகளின் இல்லாமை எல்லாமே விளம்பரம்
இருப்பவர் வாழ்க்கையோ ஊரறிஞ்ச ரகசியம்...
The one who understands this and acts
Walks tall and upright in this world
The one who just lies trembling
Wiggles around like a worm
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
சட்டம் ஒரு இருட்டறை......
அண்ணா சொன்னார்
அறிஞர் அண்ணா சொன்னார்
அதை புரிஞ்சு நடப்பவன் உலகில்
நிமிர்ந்து நடக்கிறான்
சும்மா நடுங்கி கிடப்பவன்
புழு போல் நெளிஞ்சு கிடக்கிறான்
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
அவன் நெனப்புல சட்டம் இருட்டறை.....
Sattam oru iruttarai
The law is a dark room
Anna sonnaar
Anna said so
Aringar anna sonnaar
Scholar Anna said so
Adhai purinju nadappavan
The one who understands this and acts
Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan
Walks tall and upright in this world
Summa nadungi kidappavan
The one who just lies trembling
Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan
Wiggles around like a worm
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai
In his mind, the law is a dark room
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai….
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
Sattam oru iruttarai
The law is a dark room
Anna sonnaar
Anna said so
Aringar anna sonnaar
Scholar Anna said so
Adhai purinju nadappavan u
The one who understands this and acts
Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan
Walks tall and upright in this world
Summa nadungi kidappavan
The one who just lies trembling
Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan
Wiggles around like a worm
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai
In his mind, the law is a dark room
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai….
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
Unakku ondru enakku ondru sattaththil illa
There is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law
Thanakku endru edhuvum antha needhiyil illai
That justice has no selfish bias for itself
Aa…aa… unakku odru enakku ondru sattaththil illa
Aa...aa... there is no 'one rule for you, another for me' in the law
Thanakku endru edhuvum antha needhiyil illai
That justice has no selfish bias for itself
Idaiyilae kolaaru thaduththida nee yaaru
There is a fault in between, who are you to stop it?
Thunivudan munaerun nadapathuthaan veru
Move forward with courage, what actually happens is different
Pasiyil vaadum pillikkaag apaavaththai senjaan
He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger
Antha paavaththilae kulichavalo labaththai kandaa
The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit
Pasiyil vaadum pillaikkaaga paavaththai senjaan
He committed a sin for the child suffering in hunger
Antha paavaththilae kulichavalo labaththai kandaa
The one who bathed in that sin gained the profit
Yaezhaigalim illaamai ellaamae vilambaram
The poverty of the poor is made into a spectacle
Iruppavar vaazhkkaiyo oorARINJA RAGASIYAM
While the lifestyle of the wealthy is an open secret
Sattam oru iruttarai
The law is a dark room
Anna sonnaar
Anna said so
Aringar anna sonnaar
Scholar Anna said so
Adhai purinju nadappavan u
The one who understands this and acts
Ulagil nimirnthu nadakkiraan
Walks tall and upright in this world
Summa nadungi kidappavan
The one who just lies trembling
Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan
Wiggles around like a worm
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai….
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai….
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
Avan nenappula sattam iruttarai….
In his mind, the law is a dark room...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic title track from the 1981 film 'Sattam Oru Iruttarai' takes its core thesis from C. N. Annadurai's famous quote stating that the legal system is a 'dark room'. The song acts as a sharp social critique of the justice system, highlighting how systemic corruption and social inequalities disproportionately affect the poor while the wealthy exploit the loopholes to their benefit. It points out that while law itself is meant to be unbiased, real-world application is skewed by corrupt intermediaries. Through intense and thought-provoking lyrics by Kamakodiyan, rendered powerfully by Malaysia Vasudevan and composed by Shankar Ganesh, the song urges people to shed fear and face reality bravely rather than cowering like helpless worms. It exposes the tragedy of forced crimes born out of starvation versus systemic exploitation by the rich, making it an enduring revolutionary anthem in Tamil cinema.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Sattam oru iruttarai”
Directly compares the legal system to a dark room ('iruttarai') to emphasize its opacity and complexity.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Puzhu pol nezhinju kidakkiraan”
Compares a passive, fearful person to a worm ('puzhu') squirming helpless in the dirt.
Oxymoron / Contrast
“Iruppavar vaazhkkaiyo oorARINJA RAGASIYAM”
Uses the paradoxical phrase 'oorARINJA RAGASIYAM' (an open/publicly known secret) to highlight how corruption and wealthy lifestyles are blatantly visible yet ignored.
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Pasiyil vaadum pillaikkaaga paavaththai senjaan”
The second consonant 's' in 'Pasiyil' matches the 'v'/'s' phonetic pattern in 'Antha' for melodic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song and movie title are derived directly from a celebrated statement by former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C. N. Annadurai (Arignar Anna): 'Sattam oru iruttarai, adhil vazhakkarinjarin vaadham oru vilakku' (The law is a dark room, in which the lawyer's argument is a lamp). Directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar, the film was a massive career-defining blockbuster for Vijayakanth and established his image as a champion of social justice.
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