- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Chorus
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Movie name
- Sonthakkaran
- Movie release year
- 1989
- Lyrics added on
- 11 May 2021
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Takkaru takkaruthaan
Takkaru takkaruthaan
Takkaru takkaruthaan
Takkaru takkaruthaan
Dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu
Thiruttu muzhi muzhikkaravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Thoonukkellam podava katti
Thottu thottu paakkiravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Ivanukkellaam pombalainga puththi puattanum
Velakkumaaththu posaikellaam kaththu kodukkanum
Dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu
Thiruttu muzhi muzhikkaravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Haiththalakkaa haiththalakkaa
Haiththalakkaa paattu paadi
Dappangkuththu aaduvom
Haiththalakkaa paattu paadi
Dappangkuththu aaduvom aaduvom
Aaduvom aaduvom aaduvom….
Podu…..dandanakkaa hei haei
Kalla nottu pervazhithaan intha aalunga
Karpaththaiyae kadaththuvaar intha aaluna
Ada kalla nottu pervazhithaan intha aalunga
Karpaththaiyae kadaththuvaar intha aalunga
Ivar saaraayaththil sarkkaaraiyae nadaththinaanunga
Ivar saelai sapplay pannuvathil sirantha aalunga
Sudhanthiraththai ivangathaanae eduththukittaana
Chorus :Aamaam
Male :Iruttukkullae pangu pottu pirichchikittaanga
Chorus :Iruttukkullae pangu pottu pirichchikittaanga
Dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu
Thiruttu muzhi muzhikkaravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa dei
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Hei hei hei
Damara damara dam dam dam
Chorus :Damara damara dam dam dam
………………..
Chorus :……………..
Adikka adikka kuniyurathu antha naalunga
Adichcha panthu thirumbi varum intha naalunga
Adikka adikka kuniyurathu antha naalunga
Haei adichcha panthu thirumbi varum intha naalunga
Ozhaichchu ozhaichchu thenjathellam antha naalunga
Ozhaichcha koottam aaluvathu intha naalunga
Unmai engum thoththathu illa kettu paarunga
Chorus :Aamaam
Male :Ulagaththukku viduvu kaalam ippathaanunga
Chorus :Ulagaththukku viduvu kaalam ippathaanunga
Podu dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu
Thiruttu muzhi muzhikkaravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Ada thoonukkellam podava katti
Thottu thottu paakkiravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Ivanukkellaam pombalainga puththi puattanum
Velakkumaaththu posaikellaam kaththu kodukkanum
Dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu
Thiruttu muzhi muzhikkaravan
Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Chorus :Periya manushanaa thambi periya manushanaa
Ada podu…..haai hai haai…haai…..
Top class, truly top class!
Top class, truly top class!
Top class, truly top class!
Top class, truly top class!
Swallowing an entire whale
and blinking with guilty eyes,
is he a gentleman, my brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Draping sarees even around pillars
just to grope and fondle them,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Women must knock some sense into men like him!
They must teach them a lesson with broomstick beatings!
Swallowing an entire whale
and blinking with guilty eyes,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Haithalakka, haithalakka!
Singing the haithalakka song,
let us dance the dappankuthu (street dance)!
Singing the haithalakka song,
let us dance the dappankuthu, let us dance!
Let us dance, let us dance, let us dance...
Hit the beat... Dandanaka, hey hey!
These fellows are forged-currency crooks!
These fellows would even steal away women's honor!
Ah, these fellows are forged-currency crooks!
These fellows would even steal away women's honor!
They ran the government on liquor money!
They are experts at supplying women for favors!
Didn't they snatch away all the freedom?
Chorus: Yes!
Male: They divided the shares among themselves in the dark!
Chorus: They divided the shares among themselves in the dark!
Swallowing an entire whale
and blinking with guilty eyes,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman, hey?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Hey hey hey!
Damara damara dum dum dum!
Chorus: Damara damara dum dum dum!
...
Chorus: ...
Bowing down while getting beaten was the past!
The ball that is hit bounces right back today!
Bowing down while getting beaten was the past!
Hey, the ball that is hit bounces right back today!
Working hard only to wither away was the past!
Today, the working people will rule!
Truth has never lost anywhere, just ask around!
Chorus: Yes!
Male: The dawn of deliverance for the world is right now!
Chorus: The dawn of deliverance for the world is right now!
Hit it! Swallowing an entire whale
and blinking with guilty eyes,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Ah, draping sarees even around pillars
just to grope and fondle them,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Women must knock some sense into men like him!
They must teach them a lesson with broomstick beatings!
Swallowing an entire whale
and blinking with guilty eyes,
is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Chorus: Is he a gentleman, brother, is he a gentleman?
Ah, hit it... Hai hai hai... hai...!
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a high-energy folk and satirical track that exposes the hypocrisy of corrupt societal elites and pretend gentlemen ('periya manushan'). Through sharp colloquial Tamil lyrics, the narrator criticizes men who engage in massive financial scams, moral corruption, dark backroom political deals, and exploitation while maintaining a facade of high social standing and respectability.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole (உயர்நவிற்சி அண)
“Dhimingalaththai muzhungiputtu”
Exaggerating an act of massive corruption as 'swallowing a whale whole' to emphasize the enormity of greed.
Metaphor (உவமை / உருவகம்)
“Adichcha panthu thirumbi varum intha naalunga”
Comparing the social uprising of oppressed workers to a struck ball bouncing back with equal force.
Contrast (எதிர்நிலை / முரண்)
“Ozhaichchu ozhaichchu thenjathellam antha naalunga / Ozhaichcha koottam aaluvathu intha naalunga”
Contrasting the old days of passive suffering ('antha naalunga') with the present era of empowerment and revolution ('intha naalunga').
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1989 film 'Sonthakkaran' starring Prabhu and Nirosha, with music composed by Chandrabose and lyrics written by Vairamuthu. The track relies heavily on the 'Dappangkuththu' rhythm to blend political commentary with popular dance entertainment.
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