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Isaimozhi
Indian album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Telephone Manipol

From Indian · 1996

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Hariharan, Harini
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Indian
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
9 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
{Hoooo…ooo…oooo..oooo
Hooooo…ooooo..ooo..ooo..ooo} (2)
Telephone manipol sirippaval ivalaa
Melbourne malarpol melliya magalaa
Digital il sedhukkiya kuralaa
Elizabeth taylor in magalaa
Zakkir hussain thabalaa ivaldhaanaa
Sonaa sonaa ival angam thangam thaanaa
Sonaa sonaa ival latest cellular phone aa
Computer kondivalai andha bhramman padaithanaa
Telephone manipol sirippaval ivalaa
Melbourne malarpol melliya magalaa
Hoooo…ooo…oooo..oooo
Hooooo…ooooo..ooo..ooo..ooo
Neeyillai endraal veyilum adikaadhu
Thuli mazhaiyum irukkaadhu
Neeyillai endraal chandhiran irukaadhu
Oru sambavam enakkaedhu
Un perai sonaal swaasam muzhudhum
Suga vaasam veesudhadi
Unnai pirindhaalae veesum kaatril
Velai niruthamadi
Neerillai endraal aruvi irukkaadhu
Malai azhagu irukkaadhu
Nee illaamal ponaal idhayam irukkaadhu
En ilamai pasikkaadhu
Vellai nadhiyae unnul ennai
Dhinam moozhgi aada vidu
Vetkkam vandhaal koondhal kondu
Unai konjam moodividu
Telephone manipol sirippaval ivalaa
Melbourne malarpol melliya magalaa
{Hoooo…ooo…oooo..oooo
Hooooo…ooooo..ooo..ooo..ooo} (2)
Un perai yaarum sollavum vidamaten
Andha sugathaiyum tharamaten
Un koondhal pookkal vizhavae vida maten
Adhai veyyilil vida maten
Pengal vaasam ennai thavira
Ini veesakoodaadhu
Annai theresa avarai thavira
Pirar pesakoodaadhu
Nee pogum theruvil aangalai vidamataen
Sila pengalai vidamaten
Nee sindhum sirippai kaatril vida maten
Adhai kavarven tharamaten
Pudavai kadaiyil pennin silaiyai
Nee theenda koodaadhu
Kaadhal kottai karpukarasaa
Nee thaanda koodaadhu…
Telephone manipol sirippaval ivalaa
Melbourne malarpol melliya magalaa
Digital il sedhukkiya kuralaa
Elizabeth taylor in magalaa
Zakkir hussain thabalaa ivaldhaanaa
Sonaa sonaa ival angam thangam thaanaa
Sonaa sonaa ival latest cellular phone aa
Computer kondivalai andha bhramman padaithanaa
{Oh... oh... ohoh... ohoh...
Oh... ohoh... oh... oh... oh} (2)
Is she the one who laughs like a telephone bell?
Is she a girl as delicate as a Melbourne flower?
Is hers a voice sculpted in digital sound?
Is she the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor?
Is she Zakir Hussain's rhythmic tabla?
Sona, Sona (Golden one), is her body pure gold?
Sona, Sona, is she the latest cellular phone?
Did Brahma (the creator) make her with a computer?
Is she the one who laughs like a telephone bell?
Is she a girl as delicate as a Melbourne flower?
Oh... oh... ohoh... ohoh...
Oh... ohoh... oh... oh... oh
Without you, the sun wouldn't shine
Not even a drop of rain would fall
Without you, the moon wouldn't rise
No memorable moment would happen to me
When I speak your name, my whole breath
fills with a sweet fragrance
If I am separated from you, even the blowing breeze
would go on strike!
Without water, there is no waterfall
The mountain loses all its beauty
If you are not here, my heart won't be there
My youth will feel no hunger
O clear white river, inside you
let me dive and swim every day
If shyness comes over you, with your hair
cover yourself just a little
Is she the one who laughs like a telephone bell?
Is she a girl as delicate as a Melbourne flower?
{Oh... oh... ohoh... ohoh...
Oh... ohoh... oh... oh... oh} (2)
I won't let anyone speak your name
I won't give them that joy
I won't let the flowers from your hair fall
I won't leave them out in the sun
No other woman's scent, except mine,
should ever linger around you
Except for Mother Teresa,
no other woman should speak to you
On the street you walk, I won't let men pass
I won't even let certain women pass
I won't let the smile you scatter float in the breeze
I will capture it and never share it
Even a female mannequin in a saree shop,
you must never touch!
O king of faithfulness, the fortress of love,
you must never cross its walls...
Is she the one who laughs like a telephone bell?
Is she a girl as delicate as a Melbourne flower?
Is hers a voice sculpted in digital sound?
Is she the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor?
Is she Zakir Hussain's rhythmic tabla?
Sona, Sona (Golden one), is her body pure gold?
Sona, Sona, is she the latest cellular phone?
Did Brahma (the creator) make her with a computer?
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Telephone Manipol is a vibrant and playful romantic track from the 1996 blockbuster film Indian, composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song captures modern romantic banter, heavily infused with contemporary tech terminology and pop culture references of the late 90s, such as cellular phones, computers, digital sculpting, and icons like Elizabeth Taylor, Mother Teresa, and Zakir Hussain. The duet highlights the lovers expressing their intense affection, possessiveness, and awe of each other's beauty and presence in imaginative, modern hyperbole.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Upamai (Simile)

“Telephone manipol sirippaval ivalaa”

Comparing the heroine's laugh to a telephone bell (Telephone manipol sirippaval) and her soft nature to a flower in Melbourne (Melbourne malarpol melliya magalaa).

Uruvagamb (Metaphor / Modern Imagery)

“Computer kondivalai andha bhramman padaithanaa”

Describing the beloved using futuristic and modern metaphors such as digital sculpting and Brahma designing her on a computer.

Emonai / Anaphora (Initial Alliteration)

“Neeyillai endraal veyilum adikaadhu”

Repetition of similar consonant sounds at the start of words/lines, a classic Tamil poetic device (e.g., 'Neeyillai', 'Neerillai').

Athyokthi (Hyperbole)

“Unnai pirindhaalae veesum kaatril velai niruthamadi”

Exaggerating love by claiming the sun won't shine, rain won't fall, and wind will go on strike without the beloved.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A.R. Rahman for Shankar's 'Indian' (1996), this song became an instant pop phenomenon for integrating modern 1990s technology buzzwords (digital, cellular phone, computer) into Tamil film lyrics. Filmed on Prabhu Deva's brother Raju Sundaram and Manisha Koirala, the track features dynamic vocals by Hariharan and Harini, earning widespread acclaim for its fresh, upbeat sound arrangement.

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