- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Kavalai Illaadha Manithan
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 24 Mar 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic song from 'Kavalai Illaadha Manithan' (1960) expresses a young woman's emotional helplessness and grief. She feels reduced to a puppet living according to others' expectations, dutifully smiling and looking as instructed while suppressing her inner feelings. Addressing her companion, she wonders why people cannot read the clear distress reflected on her face or hear it in her broken words, questioning if anyone around her possesses emotional clarity.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Idhayam kaattum Kannaadi vadhanamillaiyaa”
Compares the face to a mirror ('Kannaadi vadhanam') that reflects the true state of the heart.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Sirikka chonnaar siriththen / Paarkka chonnaar paarththen”
Repeated parallel phrasing ('Sirikka chonnaar siriththen / Paarkka chonnaar paarththen') emphasizes mechanical obedience and loss of personal autonomy.
Monnai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Aadai endru kettavudan”
Matching initial vowel sounds in consecutive lines ('Aadai', 'Animaniyaai', 'Azhagu', 'Aasai').
Rhetorical Questions
“Iru vizhigal padaithirundhum Puriyavillaiyaa”
Use of persistent questioning ('Puriyavillaiyaa', 'Theriyavillaiyaa', 'Marandhadhum yeno') to evoke despair and emotional anguish.
Keep listening
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