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Anbe Odi Vaa album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thullum Ilamai

From Anbe Odi Vaa · 1984

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Anbe Odi Vaa
Movie release year
1984
Lyrics added on
24 Jul 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu
Ingae maanavan maanavi raajiyam thaan
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu yeah
………………………………..
Kattu kaaval kadandhu
Kittappaa kaadhal paadam padichaanae
Mottu pola malarndhu
Pattammaa poova pola sirichaalae
College irukku kaadhalikka
Teen age irukku daavadikka
Matinee irukku meet pannalaam
Laila majnu love pannalaam
Paappaa kooda poppaa
Onna thaan paappaa
Yaar keppaa jolly thaan paa
Thagu thugu thugu thagu thugu thugu
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu
Ingae maanavan maanavi
Raajiyam thaan yeah
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu hei
Vakkeel ponnu vanajaa
Appappaa vaasam ulla pudhu rojaa
Doctor ponnu kamalaa
Kannaalae sight adichaa varuvaalaa
Vendaam kannaa sundhari thaan
Sundhari appaa mandhiri thaan
Kindal pannaa kelvi varum
Vambu thumbu vazhakku varum
Rosy romba easy kitta poyi naesi
Yaar keppaa jolly thaan paa hoi
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu
Ingae maanavan maanavi
Raajiyam thaan raappaa raapaa haa
Thullum ilamai idhu
Yaar katti adakkuvadhu
Palli paruvam idhu
Kai kotti muzhakkidudhu yeah
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud!
Here, the boys and girls rule their own kingdom!
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud, hey!
...
Breaking past all rules and guards,
Kittappa studied the lessons of love!
Blooming just like a flower bud,
Pattamma smiled like a blossom!
College is there for falling in love,
The teenage years are there for flirting around,
Matinee movie shows are there to meet up,
We can love each other like Laila and Majnu!
The girl along with the boy,
Will watch the show together!
Who will question it? It's all just fun!
Thagu thuku thuku thagu thuku thuku
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud!
Here, the boys and girls
Rule their kingdom, hey!
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud, hey!
Vanaja, the lawyer's daughter,
Oh boy, she is a sweet-smelling fresh rose!
Kamala, the doctor's daughter,
Will she come over if I check her out?
Don't go after Sundari, my friend,
Sundari's father is a minister!
If you tease her, you will be questioned,
Trouble, fights, and police cases will follow!
Rosie is very friendly, go close and love her!
Who will question it? It's pure fun, hey!
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud!
Here, the boys and girls
Rule their kingdom, raappa raaba ha!
This is bursting youth,
Who can tie it down and hold it back?
This is the school age,
Clapping its hands and cheering aloud, hey!
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thullum Ilamai Idhu from Anbe Odi Vaa (1984) is an upbeat youth anthem celebrating student freedom, teenage exuberance, and lighthearted campus romance. Lyricist Vairamuthu captures the uninhibited spirit of college students who claim their campus as their own kingdom where societal rules do not apply.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhukai (Second Letter Assonance)

“Kattu kaaval kadandhu / Mottu pola malarndhu”

Matching second letter 'tt' across consecutive lines creating rhythmic cadence.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“College irukku kaadhalikka / Teen age irukku daavadikka”

End-rhyming with 'irukku' establishing parallelism across lines.

Simile (Upama)

“Mottu pola malarndhu / Pattammaa poova pola sirichaalae”

Comparing the girl's smile to a blossoming flower ('poova pola').

Alliteration (Moonaai)

“Sundhari appaa mandhiri thaan”

Repetition of the 'Su' and 'Ma' consonant sounds creating poetic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Anbe Odi Vaa (1984) is a romantic comedy film starring Mohan and Urvashi, with music composed by S.P. Balasubrahmanyam. Lyricist Vairamuthu popularized blending contemporary 1980s college slang (like 'daavadikka', 'sight adichaa', and 'teen age') into mainstream Tamil film lyrics through songs like this.

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