- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Hariharan, Shakthisree Gopalan
- Music director
- Harris Jayaraj
- Movie name
- Anegan
- Movie release year
- 2015
- Lyrics added on
- 27 Dec 2016
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Thodu Vanam' from Anegan explores the agonizing depth of longing, grief, and separation in love. Using the metaphor of a horizon that recedes as one gets closer, the lyrics express how unattainable true union feels in the face of destiny. The protagonist grieves over charred dreams, comparing love's pain to a burning fire in the heart that is crueler than death itself. In the final verses, the perspective touches upon the eternal suffering of a woman's love across multiple rebirths, highlighting that both remembering and forgetting the beloved cause unbearable pain.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Thodu vanam... Tholaivinil pogum ada”
The horizon (Thodu Vanam) serves as a metaphor for unattainable love that moves farther away the closer one reaches for it.
Imagery / Metaphor
“Idhayathilae thee pidithu / Kanavellaam karugiyadhae”
A heart catching fire and dreams burning to ashes visually conveys deep psychological and emotional anguish.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Kanneer nadhiyaai vazhigiradhae”
Comparing tears to a flowing river emphasizes the overwhelming quantity and depth of sorrow.
Antithesis / Parallelism (Iyaibu)
“Ninaipathu thollai / Marapathu thollai”
Contrasting 'remembering' and 'forgetting' using identical sentence structure to show that both states yield equal torment.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Harris Jayaraj for the film Anegan (2015), this soulful track was sung by Hariharan and Durga, featuring poignant lyrics by Vairamuthu that tie into the movie's central theme of love transcending multiple lifetimes.
Keep listening
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