- Lyricist
- Muthu Bharathi
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, Chorus
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Movie name
- Ponnu Pudichirukku
- Movie release year
- 1984
- Lyrics added on
- 26 Aug 2022
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a humorous, tongue-in-cheek folk-pop track from the 1984 Tamil film 'Ponnu Pudichirukku'. Styled as a call-and-response dialogue between a mentor (sung by Malaysia Vasudevan) and a chorus of young men, the song gives cheeky advice on how young men should react to women in various everyday situations. While pretending to give strict moral rules—telling the boys not to stare, talk to, or trouble modest women—the singer humorously flips the advice whenever a girl acts bold or signals interest, urging the boys not to let such opportunities pass. It captures 1980s Tamil cinema youth culture with witty colloquial language and upbeat rhythm.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethirai (Second letter rhyme)
“Adakkaththoda ponnu nadanthaa / Edakkuththanam pannaatheengo”
Matching second consonants in adjacent lines creating a rhythmic harmony in Tamil poetry (Adakkaththoda / Edakkuththanam).
Monai (Initial consonant alliteration)
“Padikka pora ponna paaththu / Ha palla kaatti nikkaatheengo”
Repetition of the 'P' sound at the beginning of words across the line.
Rhyme / Simile
“Silukkaattam ponna paaththaa / Kirukkaattam vanthudaatheengo”
Wordplay comparing a stylish girl to actress 'Silk' Smitha ('Silukkaattam') and connecting it rhymingly with 'Kirukkaattam' (acting crazy).
Call and Response Form
“Sight adikka pogaatheengo... / Sight adikka pogamaattom...”
A traditional folk technique where a lead singer delivers verses and a chorus echoes or responds with a matching line structure.
Did you know?
Trivia
The phrase 'Silukkaattam' in the song references Silk Smitha, who was the ultimate glamour icon in South Indian cinema during the 1980s. The song is composed by Chandrabose, known for his energetic urban-folk melodies, and features lyrics by Muthu Bharathi.
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