- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singers
- S. Mano, S. P. Sailaja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Soora Samhaaram
- Movie release year
- 1988
- Lyrics added on
- 13 Jun 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Vaedhaalam Vandhirukkudhu is a catchy, energetic duet from the 1988 Tamil action film 'Soora Samhaaram', starring Kamal Haasan and Nirosha. The song opens with an ironic concept: a 'Vaedhaalam' (vampire or ghost) singing 'Dhevaaram' (holy devotional hymns), which sets a playful, paradoxical tone comparing a mischievous lover to a rogue acting righteous. Throughout the track, the male and female leads exchange playful banter loaded with rhythm and folk energy. They challenge each other using metaphors of wrestling ('mallu kattu') and bull-taming ('jalli kattu'), discussing passion that transcends night and day, and teasingly resisting and enticing each other.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Irony / Oxymoron
“Vaedhaalam vandhirukkudhu / Vandhu dhevaaram paadi nikkudhu”
Juxtaposing 'Vaedhaalam' (a demon/ghost) with 'Dhevaaram' (sacred devotional hymns) creates a comical and ironic contrast.
Chiasmus / Inversion
“Pagala raavaakki velaiyaadu / Raava pagalaakki uravaadu”
Inverting the words 'day' and 'night' across two consecutive lines to emphasize round-the-clock playfulness.
Metaphor
“Ingae ennodu mallu kattu / Ada ingae un jalli kattu”
Using traditional competitive sports like wrestling (mallu kattu) and bull taming (jalli kattu) as metaphors for romantic challenge.
Onomatopoeia
“Paattum damdam damdam / Aattam dumdum dumdum”
Rhythmic vocables like 'damdam' and 'dumdum' imitate the beat of folk instruments and dance footwork.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and features energetic playback vocals by Mano and K. S. Chithra. Picturised on Kamal Haasan and Nirosha, the song became popular for its fast-paced beats and catchy folk rhythm.
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