Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thollai Seiyum Kadhal

From Maanagaram · 2017

Lyricist
Lalithanand
Singer
Aarthi Mn Ashwin
Music director
Javed Riaz
Details
Maanagaram2017

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thollai seiyum kaadhal dhaanaIs it love that causes trouble?
Kaadhal seiyum thollai dhaanaOr is it trouble created by love?
Kandu solla vaaShould I come to see and tell you?
Kaadhil solla vaShould I come to whisper in your ear?
Female
Kannum kannum dhooram dhaanaIs the distance between our eyes so far?
Kalla mounam baram dhaanaIs this deceptive silence a heavy burden?
Solli poga vaaaShould I tell you and leave?
Illai thalli poga vaaOr should I stay away?
Female
Naetru paartha paarvai dhaanaIs it the same look we exchanged yesterday?
Naetru nadandha paadhai dhaanaIs it the same path we walked yesterday?
Inbamana imsai dhaanaIs it a sweet torture?
Unnai ketkava..Shall I ask you?
Female
Thollai seiyum kaadhal dhaanaIs it love that causes trouble?
Kaadhal seiyum thollai dhaanaOr is it trouble created by love?
Kandu solla vaaShould I come to see and tell you?
Kaadhil solla vaShould I come to whisper in your ear?
Female
Illai endru vaayum sollaWhile the mouth says 'No',
Undu endru paarvai sollaWhile the eyes say 'Yes',
Nenjil thondrum modhalaeThis conflict that arises in the heart,
Naerum indha thedalaeAnd this search that takes place,
Theeyum neerum theendi paarkumLike fire and water trying to touch each other,
Aasai dhana kaadhalaeIsn't that desire called love?
Female
Thollai seiyum kaadhal dhaanaIs it love that causes trouble?
Kaadhal seiyum thollai dhaanaOr is it trouble created by love?
Kandu solla vaaShould I come to see and tell you?
Kaadhil solla vaShould I come to whisper in your ear?
Female
Kannum kannum dhooram dhaanaIs the distance between our eyes so far?
Kalla mounam baram dhaanaIs this deceptive silence a heavy burden?
Solli poga vaaaShould I tell you and leave?
Illai thalli poga vaaOr should I stay away?
Female
Naetru paartha paarvai dhaanaIs it the same look we exchanged yesterday?
Naetru nadandha paadhai dhaanaIs it the same path we walked yesterday?
Inbamana imsai dhaanaIs it a sweet torture?
Unnai ketkava..Shall I ask you?
Female
Hmmmm mm mm mmHmmmm mm mm mm
Hmm mm mm hmm mm mmmHmm mm mm hmm mm mmm

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Thollai Seiyum Kaadhal captures the sweet confusion, internal conflict, and emotional turbulence associated with emerging love. The song explores the paradoxes of romantic affection—how love brings a pleasant kind of torture (Inbamana imsai) and leads to contradictory expressions where spoken words deny feelings while eyes confess them.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Chiasmus / Antimetabole

Thollai seiyum kaadhal dhaana / Kaadhal seiyum thollai dhaana

Inversion of words in consecutive clauses to contrast meanings ('Thollai seiyum kaadhal' vs 'Kaadhal seiyum thollai').

Oxymoron

Inbamana imsai dhaana

Combining contradictory terms to create poetic effect ('Inbamana' meaning joyful/sweet, and 'Imsai' meaning torture/pain).

Antithesis / Juxtaposition

Theeyum neerum theendi paarkum

Contrasting two opposing elements (Fire 'Theeyum' and Water 'Neerum') to symbolize opposing emotions meeting in love.

Moona (Initial Assonance/Alliteration in Tamil)

Kannum kannum dhooram dhaana / Kalla mounam baram dhaana

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines ('Kannum' and 'Kalla').

Did you know?

Trivia

Maanagaram (2017) marked the directorial debut of critically acclaimed filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj. The film's musical score and songs were composed by Javed Riaz, with lyrics written by Lalithanand.

Keep listening

More from Maanagaram