- Lyricist
- Gangai Amaran
- Singers
- P. Jayachandran, K. S. Chithra, Saibaba
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Rettai Vaal Kuruvi
- Movie release year
- 1987
- Lyrics added on
- 26 Mar 2018
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Laalalalalalalaalaa
Laalalalalalalaalaa
Hoi
Sudhandhiratha vaangi puttom
Adha vaangi sukku nooraa odachipputtom
Female :Vellanaiyam thorathi puttom
Avan kooda vekkathaiyum veratti vittom
Gandhijiyum nehrujiyum
Kashta pattadhu
Chummaa kaadhula dhaan
Pottu vachchom enna aanadhu
Gandhijiyum nehrujiyum
Kashta pattadhu
Chummaa kaadhula dhaan
Pottu vachchom enna aanadhu
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Oru gandhi porandhaaru
Oru budhar irundhaaru
Oor ulagha seeru thirutha
Avar pecha marandhomae
Marandhae dhaan irundhomae
Nallavanga nenju valikka
Oru gandhi porandhaaru
Oru budhar irundhaaru
Oor ulagha seeru thirutha
Avar pecha marandhomae
Marandhae dhaan irundhomae
Nallavanga nenju valikka
Sudhanthiratha vaangi thandhu
Poyi serndhaanga
Vaangi adha nammavanga
Kooru pottaanga
Sudhanthiratha vaangi thandhu
Poyi serndhaanga
Vaangi adha nammavanga
Kooru pottaanga
Yaaru vandhu seer thirutha
Mudiyum mudiyum
Ada ennaikkuthaan unma ippo
Vidiyum vidiyum
Kaalam varanum
Neram varanum
Naadu muzhudhum nambi varanum
Sudhandhiratha vaangi puttom
Adha vaangi sukku nooraa odachipputtom
Vellanaiyam thorathi puttom
Avan kooda vekkathaiyum veratti vittom
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Kingini mangini kingini mangini
Aisalakkaa aisalakkaa
Kingini mangini kingini mangini
Aisalakkaa aisalakkaa
Lalalaalalalalalalaa
Hey aisalakkaa
Lalalaalalalalalalaa
Oh aisalakkaa
Lalalaa lalalaa lalalaa lalalalaa
Oru paattu paadaama
Oru koottu koodaama
Onnu konnu sanda pudichom
Oru pechu kelaama
Ozhungaaga vaazhaama
Kandapadi sindu mudichom
Oru paattu paadaama
Oru koottu koodaama
Onnu konnu sanda pudichom
Oru pechu kelaama
Ozhungaaga vaazhaama
Kandapadi sindu mudichom
Sirichikkittae soodu veikkum
Neram vandhaachu
Therinjikkittae kaal izhukkum
Kaalam vandhaachu
Sirichikkittae soodu veikkum
Neram vandhaachu
Therinjikkittae kaal izhukkum
Kaalam vandhaachu
Kaalaiyilae ezhundhirichaa
Kalagam kalagam
Ada kanmuzhichaa irukkum idam
Naragam Naragam
Maari varanum
Thedi varanum
Yeri varanum indha ulagam
Sudhandhiratha vaangi puttom
Adha vaangi sukku nooraa odachipputtom
Vellanaiyam thorathi puttom
Avan kooda vekkathaiyum veratti vittom
Gandhijiyum nehrujiyum
Kashta pattadhu
Chummaa kaadhula dhaan
Pottu vachchom enna aanadhu
Gandhijiyum nehrujiyum
Kashta pattadhu
Chummaa kaadhula dhaan
Pottu vachchom enna aanadhu
Sudhandhiratha vaangi puttom
Adha vaangi sukku nooraa odachipputtom
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
Lalalalalaalalalalalaalalalaa
La la la la la la la
La la la la la la la
Hoy!
We won our independence,
and after getting it, we smashed it to smithereens!
We chased the white man away,
and along with him, we threw away all our shame!
All the struggles that
Gandhiji and Nehruji went through—
we just let it go in one ear and out the other,
so what came of it all in the end?
All the struggles that
Gandhiji and Nehruji went through—
we just let it go in one ear and out the other,
so what came of it all in the end?
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
A Gandhi was born,
a Buddha once lived here,
to reform this town and world.
Yet we forgot their words,
yes, we completely ignored them,
making righteous hearts ache in pain!
A Gandhi was born,
a Buddha once lived here,
to reform this town and world.
Yet we forgot their words,
yes, we completely ignored them,
making righteous hearts ache in pain!
They won freedom for us
and departed from this world,
but our own people took it
and tore it into pieces for themselves!
They won freedom for us
and departed from this world,
but our own people took it
and tore it into pieces for themselves!
Who can step in and reform us now?
Can anyone really do it? Can it be done?
Tell me, when will the truth
finally see the light of day?
The right time must arrive,
the right hour must come,
and the whole nation must come together in faith!
We won our independence,
and after getting it, we smashed it to smithereens!
We chased the white man away,
and along with him, we threw away all our shame!
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
Kingini mangini kingini mangini
Aisalakka aisalakka
Kingini mangini kingini mangini
Aisalakka aisalakka
La la la la la la la
Hey, aisalakka!
La la la la la la la
Oh, aisalakka!
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la la
Without singing a song together,
without living united as one flock,
we fought and killed each other!
Refusing to listen to good counsel,
failing to live with basic decency,
we stirred up trouble at every turn!
Without singing a song together,
without living united as one flock,
we fought and killed each other!
Refusing to listen to good counsel,
failing to live with basic decency,
we stirred up trouble at every turn!
The time has come when people
stab you in the back with a smile!
The era has arrived when they
knowingly trip you up from behind!
The time has come when people
stab you in the back with a smile!
The era has arrived when they
knowingly trip you up from behind!
The moment you wake up in the morning,
it is all chaos and unrest!
Ah, wherever you open your eyes,
it feels like sheer hell!
Things must change,
better days must be sought,
and this world must rise up and move forward!
We won our independence,
and after getting it, we smashed it to smithereens!
We chased the white man away,
and along with him, we threw away all our shame!
All the struggles that
Gandhiji and Nehruji went through—
we just let it go in one ear and out the other,
so what came of it all in the end?
All the struggles that
Gandhiji and Nehruji went through—
we just let it go in one ear and out the other,
so what came of it all in the end?
We won our independence,
and after getting it, we smashed it to smithereens!
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la la la la
Chorus
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a satirical critique of modern Indian society and its political disillusionment following independence. Gangai Amaran uses biting irony to highlight how the sacrifices of freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, as well as the teachings of spiritual leaders like Buddha, have been squandered. Instead of building a united and moral society, people have divided freedom into selfish shares, engaged in petty conflicts, and lost their ethical boundaries.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony and Satire (Nageichuvai / Muraan)
“Sudhandhiratha vaangi puttom / Adha vaangi sukku nooraa odachipputtom”
The lyrics use sharp satire by juxtaposing the grand achievement of winning independence with the foolish ways society destroyed it.
Second-letter Rhyme (Edhugai)
“Kaalaiyilae ezhundhirichaa / Kalagam kalagam / Ada kanmuzhichaa irukkum idam / Naragam Naragam”
The second consonant 'li' is rhymed in 'Kaalaiyilae' and 'Kalagam', and 'na' in 'kanmuzhichaa' and 'Naragam'.
Repetition / Epizeuxis (Adukkuthodar)
“Kalagam kalagam / Naragam Naragam”
Emphasis through doubled words for dramatic effect.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja for Balu Mahendra's 1987 romantic comedy 'Rettai Vaal Kuruvi', this song features lighthearted folk arrangement paired with thought-provoking socio-political commentary written by Gangai Amaran.
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