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Isaimozhi
Bombay album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Uyire Uyire

From Bombay · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Hariharan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Bombay
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
29 Dec 2016

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Uyirae uyirae vandhu ennodu kalandhuvidu
Uyirae uyirae ennai unnodu kalandhuvidu
Ninaivae ninaivae endhan nenjodu kalandhuvidu
Nilavae nilavae indha vinnodu kalandhuvidu
Kaadhal irundhaal endhan kannodu kalandhuvidu
Kaalam thaduthaal ennai mannodu Kalandhuvidu
Uyirae uyirae vandhu ennodu kalandhuvidu
Ninaivae ninaivae endhan nenjodu kalandhuvidu
En suvaasa kaatru varumpaadhai paarthu
Uyirae uyirae indru unnodu kalandhuvitten
Uravae uravae indru en vaasal kadandhuvitten
Ninaivae ninaivae undhan nenjodu niraindhuvitten
Kanavae kanavae undhan kannodu karaindhuvitten
Kaadhal irundhaal endhan kannodu kalandhuvidu
Kaalam thaduthaal ennai mannodu kalandhuvidu
Uyirae uyirae vandhu ennodu kalandhuvidu
Ninaivae ninaivae endhan nenjodu kalandhuvidu
Oor paarvai paarthae uyirthandha penmai
Uyirae uyirae vandhu ennodu kalandhuvidu
Uyirae uyirae ennai unnodu kalandhuvidu
Ninaivae ninaivae endhan nenjodu kalandhuvidu
Nilavae nilavae indha vinnodu kalandhuvidu
Mazhaipol mazhaipol vandhu mannodu vizhundhuvitten
Manampol manampol undhan oonodu uraindhuvitten
Uyirae uyirae indru unnodu kalandhuvitten
Ninaivae ninaivae undhan nenjodu niraindhuvitten
O my life, come and merge with me.
O my life, blend me into yourself.
O sweet memory, merge into my heart.
O moon, merge into this sky.
If there is love, merge into my eyes.
If fate stands in our way, let me merge with the earth.
O my life, come and merge with me.
O sweet memory, merge into my heart.
Watching the path along which my breath flows,
O my life, today I have merged with you.
My beloved, today I have stepped beyond my threshold.
O memory, I have filled your heart.
O dream, I have dissolved into your eyes.
If there is love, merge into my eyes.
If fate stands in our way, let me merge with the earth.
O my life, come and merge with me.
O sweet memory, merge into my heart.
A woman who gave me life with just a single glance,
O my life, come and merge with me.
O my life, blend me into yourself.
O sweet memory, merge into my heart.
O moon, merge into this sky.
Like the falling rain, I have come down to the earth.
With all my heart, I have settled deep into your very being.
O my life, today I have merged with you.
O memory, I have filled your heart.
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Uyire Uyire is a hauntingly emotional ballad from Mani Ratnam's 1995 masterpiece Bombay, featuring music composed by A.R. Rahman, lyrics by Vairamuthu, and vocals by Hariharan and K.S. Chithra. The song captures the intense longing, devotion, and stakes of two lovers separated by religious turmoil and societal boundaries. They express a passion so absolute that separation is equivalent to death, pleading to merge completely with each other's soul, breath, and existence.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar (Repetition / Anaphora)

“Uyirae uyirae vandhu ennodu kalandhuvidu”

Repetition of words like 'Uyirae uyirae', 'Ninaivae ninaivae', and 'Nilavae nilavae' at the start of lines creates poetic emphasis and heightened emotional resonance.

Uvamai (Simile)

“Mazhaipol mazhaipol vandhu mannodu vizhundhuvitten”

The lover compares her sudden, complete surrender to rain falling heavily onto the earth ('Mazhaipol... vandhu mannodu vizhundhuvitten').

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Ninaivae ninaivae undhan nenjodu niraindhuvitten”

Use of matching verbal suffixes like 'kalandhuvidu', 'kalandhuvitten', and 'niraindhuvitten' across line endings forms a continuous rhythmic pattern.

Contrast (Juxtaposition)

“Kaadhal irundhaal endhan kannodu kalandhuvidu / Kaalam thaduthaal ennai mannodu Kalandhuvidu”

Contrasts the bliss of uniting with the lover ('kannodu kalandhuvidu') against the tragic alterative of death ('mannodu kalandhuvidu').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by A.R. Rahman with iconic vocals by Hariharan and K.S. Chithra, 'Uyire' (dubbed as 'Tu Hi Re' in Hindi) remains one of Indian cinema's greatest romantic songs. It was beautifully filmed at the Bekal Fort in Kerala amidst misty wind and crashing waves, featuring Arvind Swamy and Manisha Koirala.

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