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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thilla Daangu

From Therkathi Kallan · 1988

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Therkathi Kallan1988

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Ae….thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Male
En pachaikili en ichchikiliMy green parrot, my sweet parrot
Ennai paaththu paaththu yaenguLook at me and long for me
Padukkaiyil maaman kooda thoonguSleep with your uncle in bed
ThathinginathomThathinginathom
Male
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Ae….thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Male
Aambala thozhila pombala paakkaA woman cannot judge or do a man's job
Mudiyaadhu mudiyaathuImpossible, it is impossible
Pombala unakku aanavam edhukkuWoman, why do you have such arrogance?
Aagaathu aagaathuIt won't do, it won't do
Male
Kudhiraikku nee vaakkappattaaIf you are married off to a horse
Kollu thinga vaenaamaaDon't you have to eat horsegram?
Madhuraikaara maamankittaWith this uncle from Madurai
Mallukatta yaenammaaWhy pick a fight, my girl?
Male
Podaendi naan padukkum paayaiSpread the mat on which I sleep
Theeraendi en kadhal noiyaiCure my sickness of love
Vaenaandi veen thagaraaruDon't engage in useless disputes
En kaani nilamae karumbu thoppae…My acre of land, my sugarcane garden...
Female
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Ada vaenaam intha raanguHey man, stop showing this pride
Ae…thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu
Ada vaenaam intha raanguHey man, stop showing this pride
Female
Naan pachchikili nalla ichchaikiliI am a green parrot, a good sweet parrot
Ennai paaththu paaththu yaenguLook at me and long for me
Thalaiyanaiyai katti pidichchu thoonguHug the pillow and go to sleep
ThathinginathomThathinginathom
Female
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Ada vaenaam intha raanguHey man, stop showing this pride
Ae…thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu
Ada vaenaam intha raanguHey man, stop showing this pride
Female
Pombala karumbu aambala erumbuWoman is sugarcane, man is an ant
Theriyaathaa theriyaathaa heiDon't you know, don't you know, hey?
Hoi aambala pozhappai pombala paakkaHoi, can't a woman oversee a man's livelihood?
Mudiyaathaa mudiyaathaaIs it impossible, is it impossible?
Female
Pombala karumbu aambala erumbuWoman is sugarcane, man is an ant
Theriyaathaa theriyaathaa hoiDon't you know, don't you know, hoi?
Hei Aambala pozhappai pombala paakkaHei, can't a woman oversee a man's livelihood?
Mudiyaathaa mudiyaathaaIs it impossible, is it impossible?
Female
Vaelaikkaaran kireedam vachchaJust by wearing a crown, a servant
Raajaavaaga mudiyaathuCannot become a king
Kuppamaedu kotta kottaNo matter how high a garbage heap piles up
Gopuramaa aagaathuIt cannot turn into a temple tower
Female
Vaenaaiyaa veen aasai unakkuMister, your futile desire is useless
Thavaraagum nee podum kanakkuThe math you calculate will go wrong
Raasaaththi oru seemaattiA princess, a noble lady
En kaakkaa mugaraa karuchchatti azhagaaMy crow-faced man, my handsome black pot
Male
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Ae….thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Male
En pachaikili en ichchikiliMy green parrot, my sweet parrot
Ennai paaththu paaththu yaenguLook at me and long for me
Padukkaiyil maaman kooda thoonguSleep with your uncle in bed
ThathinginathomThathinginathom
Male
Thillaadaangu daanguThillaadaangu daangu
Adi engae pochchu raanguHey girl, where did your pride go?
Ae….thillaadaangu daanguAe... Thillaadaangu daangu

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet features a spirited argument between the male and female leads. The male protagonist teases the heroine about her pride, asserting traditional gender roles and boasting about his charm as a man from Madurai. He invites her affectionately while poking fun at her resistance. The heroine counters sharply, comparing women to sweet sugarcane and men to attracted ants. She dismantles his male arrogance with witty analogies, comparing a servant trying to be king or a garbage pile trying to be a temple tower. Despite the verbal sparring, the underlying tone remains romantic, playful, and full of mutual attraction.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Pombala karumbu aambala erumbu

Compares a woman to sugarcane and a man to an ant drawn to sweetness.

Rhyme / Assonance (Emonai & Ethirai)

En pachaikili en ichchikili

Pairs 'Pachaikili' (green parrot) with 'Ichchikili' (sweet/kissing parrot) for rhythmic endearment.

Analogy

Kuppamaedu kotta kotta Gopuramaa aagaathu

Uses the impossibility of a servant becoming a king or a garbage mound becoming a temple tower to mock overinflated ego.

Folk Refrain (Sollukattu)

Thillaadaangu daangu

Rhythmic folk beats used as a recurring musical refrain to drive the tempo of the banter.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is from the 1988 Tamil action comedy film 'Therkathi Kallan' starring Vijayakanth and Radhika. The film featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics penned by Gangai Amaran, showcasing their signature rustic Tamil folk style.

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