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Thillu Mullu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thillu Mullu

From Thillu Mullu · 1981

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chorus
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Thillu Mullu
Movie release year
1981
Lyrics added on
25 Sept 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Lalala lalala lalala lalala
Lalala lalala lalala lalala
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Ullam ellam kallu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Ullam ellam kallu mullu
Aayiram naadagam aayiram veshangal
Aayiram naadagam aayiram veshangal
Mannavan veshathil vandhaan
Avanidam raajaangam kidaiyaadhu
Maapillai vesham pottaan
Avanidam penn ondru kidaiyadhu
Mannavan veshathil vandhaan
Avanidam raajaangam kidaiyaadhu
Maapillai vesham pottaan
Avanidam penn ondru kidaiyadhu
Vekkam illai dhukkam illai
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Male :Vesham oru dosham illai
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Vekkam illai dhukkam illai
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Male :Vesham oru dosham illai
Kaalaiyil saamiyaar maalaiyil maamiyaar
Kaalaiyil saamiyaar maalaiyil maamiyaar
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Ullam ellam kallu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
………………….
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Ullam ellam kallu mullu
Lalala lalala lalala lalala
Nalladhu seidhida poi sollalaam
Ena valluvan sonnaaru
Naatukku kovilai kattida oruvar
Thirudavum seidhaaru
Sathiyathai solli vittu
Thathuvathai vittu vittu
Povadhum vaazhvadhum
Laabamaa …paavama ….
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Aanmai illadhavan meesai vaithaal
Adhu veerathai kattadhu
Periya mul siriya mul irandum iladhadhu
Nerathai kaataadhu
Aanmai illadhavan meesai vaithaal
Adhu veerathai kattadhu
Periya mul siriya mul irandum iladhadhu
Nerathai kaataadhu
Nalladhukku kathi edu
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Male :Illaiyinna vittu vidu
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Nalladhukku kathi edu
Chorus :Ho ho ho
Male :Illaiyinna vittu vidu
Ennamum seiyalaam nanmai thaan mukkiyam
Ennamum seiyalaam nanmai thaan mukkiyam
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Thillu mullu thillu mullu
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Hearts are full of stones and thorns
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Hearts are full of stones and thorns
A thousand dramas, a thousand disguises
A thousand dramas, a thousand disguises
He came dressed as a king
But he has no kingdom
He put on the disguise of a bridegroom
But he has no bride
He came dressed as a king
But he has no kingdom
He put on the disguise of a bridegroom
But he has no bride
No shame, no sorrow
Chorus: Ho ho ho
Male: Wearing a disguise is no sin
Chorus: Ho ho ho
No shame, no sorrow
Chorus: Ho ho ho
Male: Wearing a disguise is no sin
A holy man in the morning, a mother-in-law in the evening
A holy man in the morning, a mother-in-law in the evening
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Hearts are full of stones and thorns
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
...
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Hearts are full of stones and thorns
La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la
You can tell a lie if it does good
So said Valluvar (ancient Tamil poet-philosopher)
To build a temple for the land, someone
Even resorted to stealing
Speaking truth
And leaving philosophy behind,
Wandering and living like this,
Is it a gain... or a sin?
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
If a man with no courage grows a mustache
It will not show bravery
A clock without both the big and small hands
Will not show the time
If a man with no courage grows a mustache
It will not show bravery
A clock without both the big and small hands
Will not show the time
Draw the knife for a good cause
Chorus: Ho ho ho
Male: If not, let it go
Chorus: Ho ho ho
Draw the knife for a good cause
Chorus: Ho ho ho
Male: If not, let it go
You can do anything, doing good is what matters
You can do anything, doing good is what matters
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Tricks and schemes, tricks and schemes
Chorus
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The title song of the 1981 film 'Thillu Mullu' playfully justifies trickery, white lies, and putting up pretenses when done for a noble cause or to avoid unnecessary harm. Lyricist Kannadasan draws upon ancient Indian morality and classic literature to argue that a lie told to achieve good is equivalent to truth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme) & Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

Thillu mullu thillu mullu / Ullam ellam kallu mullu

The matching of second letters ('ll' sound in Thillu, Ullam, Kallu) and repeating end words ('mullu') creates a rhythmic, bouncy tempo.

Allusion (Classical Tirukkural Reference)

Nalladhu seidhida poi sollalaam / Ena valluvan sonnaaru

Kannadasan cites Thiruvalluvar's Tirukkural (Kural 292), which states that falsehood is considered truth if it brings unblemished good without harm.

Analogy / Metaphor

Aanmai illadhavan meesai vaithaal / Adhu veerathai kattadhu / Periya mul siriya mul irandum iladhadhu / Nerathai kaataadhu

The lyrics compare an unmanly man growing a mustache to a clock missing its hands; neither serves its true visual purpose without intrinsic substance.

Did you know?

Trivia

Thillu Mullu (1981) was directed by K. Balachander and is an official remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 1979 Hindi comedy classic 'Gol Maal'. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. It remains one of Rajinikanth's most famous full-length comedy roles.

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