Thee Thalapathy
From Varisu · 2023
- Lyricist
- Vivek
- Singers
- STR (Silambarasan, Chorus
- Music director
- Thaman S
- Details
- Varisu2023
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Unna parthu siricha | If someone looks at you and laughs |
| Adha ullukkulla nerupaakku | Turn that inside into a burning fire |
| Avamanam kedacha | If you are met with humiliation |
| Adhil greedam onnu uruvaaku | Craft a triumphant crown out of it |
| Male | |
| Unna kuthi ulagamae | By poking and taunting you, the world |
| Orr aanantham adaiyumae | Derives a strange kind of joy |
| Thiruppi adikkum podhu dhaan | Only when you hit them back |
| Yaaru neenu puiryumae | Will they truly understand who you are |
| Chorus | |
| {It’s time | {It's time |
| It’s time to give it back maame | It's time to give it back, my friend |
| Idhu thiruppi | This is payback |
| Idhu thiruppi kodumum neram maame} (2) | This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2) |
| Maamae..maamae.. | My friend.. my friend.. |
| Male | |
| Kaayam poruthu sendru pazhagu | Learn to bear the wounds and keep moving forward |
| Mul irukkum vazhiyilae | Along the path filled with thorns |
| Kooda nadandha kootam saththam | The cheering roar of the crowd that walked alongside you |
| Pull arikkum udalilae | Causes goosebumps across your entire body |
| Male | |
| Kaalgal thadukki malaiyil irundhu | When your feet stumble off the mountain top |
| Keezhae pogum nodyilae | In the very second you are falling down |
| Kaigal asaithu paaru puthiya rekkai | Try flap your arms and see, brand new wings |
| Pirakkum vazhiyilae | Will be born on your way down |
| Male | |
| Kaneero nee unakku sollum aaraaroo | Even your tears are a lullaby you sing to yourself |
| Kan thoongi ezundha pinbu nee verooo | When you wake up after sleep, you will be a whole new person |
| Female | |
| Udacha megamae | Only a broken, burst cloud |
| Maa mazhaiai kodukkumae | Pours down torrential rain |
| Kilicha vidhaiyilae | Only from a split seed |
| Dhaan kaadu porakumey | Is an entire forest born |
| Pudhiya ethiriyae | O new enemy! |
| Vaa enna ethirkkavae | Come on, challenge me! |
| Pazhaya ethirigal | For all my old enemies |
| En rasigar padaiyilae | Have now joined my army of fans |
| Male | |
| Thee idhu thalapathy… | This Thalapathy (commander) is fire... |
| Thee idhu thalapathy… | This Thalapathy (commander) is fire... |
| Chorus | |
| {It’s time | {It's time |
| It’s time to give it back maame | It's time to give it back, my friend |
| Idhu thiruppi | This is payback |
| Idhu thiruppi kodumum neram maame} (2) | This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2) |
| Male | |
| Adhipathy adhipathy… | Sovereign ruler, supreme lord... |
தீ... தீ ...
If someone looks at you and laughs
Turn that inside into a burning fire
If you are met with humiliation
Craft a triumphant crown out of it
உன்ன பாத்து சிரிச்சா
அத உள்ளுக்குள்ள நெருப்பாக்கு
அவமானம் கெடச்சா
அதில் கிரீடம் ஒண்ண உருவாக்கு
By poking and taunting you, the world
Derives a strange kind of joy
Only when you hit them back
Will they truly understand who you are
உன்ன குத்தி உலகமே
ஓரானந்தம் அடையுமே
திருப்பி அடிக்கும் போது தான்
யாரு நீன்னு புரியுமே
{It's time
It's time to give it back, my friend
This is payback
This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2)
My friend.. my friend..
{இட்ஸ் டைம்...
இட்ஸ் டைம் டு கிவ் இட் பேக்கு மாமே
இது திருப்பி...
இது திருப்பி குடுக்கும் நேரம் மாமே} (2)
Learn to bear the wounds and keep moving forward
Along the path filled with thorns
The cheering roar of the crowd that walked alongside you
Causes goosebumps across your entire body
உடஞ்சா மேகமே
மா மழையை குடுக்குமே
கிழிஞ்சா விதையிலே
தான் காடு பொறக்குமே
புதிய எதிரியே
வா என்னை எதிர்க்கவே
பழைய எதிரிகள்
என் ரசிகர் படையிலே
When your feet stumble off the mountain top
In the very second you are falling down
Try flap your arms and see, brand new wings
Will be born on your way down
{தீ இது தளபதி
பேர கேட்டா விசில் அடி
தீ இது தளபதி
உங்க நெஞ்சின் அதிபதி} (2)
Even your tears are a lullaby you sing to yourself
When you wake up after sleep, you will be a whole new person
உடஞ்சா மேகமே
மா மழையை குடுக்குமே
கிழிஞ்சா விதையிலே
தான் காடு பொறக்குமே
புதிய எதிரியே
வா என்னை எதிர்க்கவே
பழைய எதிரிகள்
என் ரசிகர் படையிலே
Only a broken, burst cloud
Pours down torrential rain
Only from a split seed
Is an entire forest born
O new enemy!
Come on, challenge me!
For all my old enemies
Have now joined my army of fans
காயம் பொறுத்து சென்று பழகு
முள் இருக்கும் வழியிலே
கூட நடந்த கூட்ட சத்தம்
புல்லரிக்கும் உடலிலே
This Thalapathy (commander) is fire...
This Thalapathy (commander) is fire...
கால்கள் தடுக்கி மலையில் இருந்து
கீழே செல்லும் நொடியிலே
கைகால் அசைத்து பாரு
புதிய ரெக்கை பிறக்கும் வழியிலே
{It's time
It's time to give it back, my friend
This is payback
This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2)
கண்ணீரோ நீ உனக்கு சொல்லும் ஆராரோ
கண் தூங்கி எழுந்த பின்பு நீ வேரோ
Sovereign ruler, supreme lord...
உடஞ்சா மேகமே
மா மழையை குடுக்குமே
கிழிஞ்சா விதையிலே
தான் காடு பொறக்குமே
புதிய எதிரியே
வா என்னை எதிர்க்கவே
பழைய எதிரிகள்
என் ரசிகர் படையிலே
தீ இது தளபதி
இட்ஸ் டைம் டு கிவ் இட் பேக்கு மாமே
தீ இது தளபதி
இது திருப்பி குடுக்கும் நேரம் மாமே
{தீ இது தளபதி
பேர கேட்டா விசில் அடி
தீ இது தளபதி
உங்க நெஞ்சின் அதிபதி} (2)
தீ இது தளபதி
தீ இது தளபதி
{இட்ஸ் டைம்...
இட்ஸ் டைம் டு கிவ் இட் பேக்கு மாமே
இது திருப்பி...
இது திருப்பி குடுக்கும் நேரம் மாமே} (2)
அதிபதி அதிபதி ...
Unna parthu siricha
If someone looks at you and laughs
Adha ullukkulla nerupaakku
Turn that inside into a burning fire
Avamanam kedacha
If you are met with humiliation
Adhil greedam onnu uruvaaku
Craft a triumphant crown out of it
Unna kuthi ulagamae
By poking and taunting you, the world
Orr aanantham adaiyumae
Derives a strange kind of joy
Thiruppi adikkum podhu dhaan
Only when you hit them back
Yaaru neenu puiryumae
Will they truly understand who you are
{It’s time
{It's time
It’s time to give it back maame
It's time to give it back, my friend
Idhu thiruppi
This is payback
Idhu thiruppi kodumum neram maame} (2)
This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2)
Maamae..maamae..
My friend.. my friend..
Kaayam poruthu sendru pazhagu
Learn to bear the wounds and keep moving forward
Mul irukkum vazhiyilae
Along the path filled with thorns
Kooda nadandha kootam saththam
The cheering roar of the crowd that walked alongside you
Pull arikkum udalilae
Causes goosebumps across your entire body
Kaalgal thadukki malaiyil irundhu
When your feet stumble off the mountain top
Keezhae pogum nodyilae
In the very second you are falling down
Kaigal asaithu paaru puthiya rekkai
Try flap your arms and see, brand new wings
Pirakkum vazhiyilae
Will be born on your way down
Kaneero nee unakku sollum aaraaroo
Even your tears are a lullaby you sing to yourself
Kan thoongi ezundha pinbu nee verooo
When you wake up after sleep, you will be a whole new person
Udacha megamae
Only a broken, burst cloud
Maa mazhaiai kodukkumae
Pours down torrential rain
Kilicha vidhaiyilae
Only from a split seed
Dhaan kaadu porakumey
Is an entire forest born
Pudhiya ethiriyae
O new enemy!
Vaa enna ethirkkavae
Come on, challenge me!
Pazhaya ethirigal
For all my old enemies
En rasigar padaiyilae
Have now joined my army of fans
Thee idhu thalapathy…
This Thalapathy (commander) is fire...
Thee idhu thalapathy…
This Thalapathy (commander) is fire...
{It’s time
{It's time
It’s time to give it back maame
It's time to give it back, my friend
Idhu thiruppi
This is payback
Idhu thiruppi kodumum neram maame} (2)
This is the time to give it back, my friend} (2)
Adhipathy adhipathy…
Sovereign ruler, supreme lord...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Thee Thalapathy' is an empowering mass anthem from the film Varisu that serves as a celebration of resilience, grit, and comeback against adversity. The song inspires listeners to channel disrespect, pain, and betrayal into the fire needed to achieve greatness. Through powerful nature-based metaphors—such as broken clouds yielding heavy rains and torn seeds birthing massive forests—it conveys that struggles are mere preludes to a grand awakening. The lyrics also reflect the mass persona of actor Vijay, portraying a commander who stands unshakeable against new challenges because his past foes have transformed into his loyal followers. Sung with immense energy by Silambarasan TR, the track functions both as a hero-glorification anthem within the film and a broader motivational song about rising stronger after falling.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Adhil greedam onnu uruvaaku”
Humiliation is framed as raw material to forge a crown ('Avamanam kedacha adhil greedam...'), comparing overcoming insult to attaining royalty.
Nature Metaphor / Imagery
“Udacha megamae maa mazhaiai kodukkumae / Kilicha vidhaiyilae dhaan kaadu porakumey”
Uses physical breaking of clouds ('Udacha megamae') and seeds ('Kilicha vidhaiyilae') to symbolize how deep suffering creates grand growth.
Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Pudhiya ethiriyae ... Pazhaya ethirigal”
Matching starting sound patterns across adjacent poetic lines, such as 'Udacha' and 'Kilicha' or 'Pudhiya' and 'Pazhaya'.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Pazhaya ethirigal en rasigar padaiyilae”
Exaggerating the protagonist's influence by declaring that all former enemies have turned into fans.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Thee Thalapathy' was released as a special tribute celebrating actor Vijay's 30 years in the Tamil film industry. Interestingly, the song was sung by fellow leading actor Silambarasan TR (STR) as a friendly gesture, delighting fans and setting aside decades of media-projected rivalry between their respective fanbases.
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