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Thangaikaga album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vellikizhamai Raathiri

From Thangaikaga · 1971

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
L. R. Eswari
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Thangaikaga
Movie release year
1971
Lyrics added on
30 Apr 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vellikkizhamai raththiri neram
Kolkatavil nadanthathu ondru
Ooraengum per pettra thirudan pidipattaan
Thirudan pidipattaan
Vellikkizhamai raththiri neram
Kolkatavil nadanthathu ondru
Ooraengum per pettra thirudan pidipattaan
Thirudan pidipattaan
Maanikka maaligal kollai adiththaan
Maangani pol oru pennai pidiththaan
Maanikka maaligal kollai adiththaan
Maangani pol oru pennai pidiththaan
Vellam polae selvam kandu
Ullam kaliththaan
Kannam thottum kinnam thottum
Innum vaazhgindraan
Vellikkizhamai raththiri neram
Kolkatavil nadanthathu ondru
Ooraengum per pettra thirudan pidipattaan
Thirudan pidipattaan
Kaaththiruntha oruththi kannadichathaalae
Vesham ittu veeran vanthu neram paarththaanaam
Kaaththiruntha oruththi kannadichathaalae
Vesham ittu veeran vanthu neram paarththaanaam
Kaaththiruntha neram pakkam vanthathendru
Kalvar thammai kaithu seithu kaval vaiththaanaam
Vellikkizhamai raththiri neram
Kolkatavil nadanthathu ondru
Ooraengum per pettra thirudan pidipattaan
Thirudan pidipattaan
Kanmani veettinil kaaththu kidanthaal
Kadhalan vanthathum katti pidiththaal
Kanmani veettinil kaaththu kidanthaal
Kadhalan vanthathum katti pidiththaal
Kannam thannai killi killi
Kaayam padaiththaal
Kaalai kozhi koovum mattum
Kadhal koduththaal
Vellikkizhamai raththiri neram
Kolkatavil nadanthathu ondru
Ooraengum per pettra thirudan pidipattaan
Thirudan pidipattaan
On a Friday night,
something happened in Calcutta.
A notorious thief was caught.
The thief was caught!
On a Friday night,
something happened in Calcutta.
A notorious thief was caught.
The thief was caught!
He looted ruby necklaces,
and captured a girl sweet as a ripe mango.
He looted ruby necklaces,
and captured a girl sweet as a ripe mango.
Seeing wealth flow like a flood,
his heart rejoiced.
Caressing cheeks and raising wine cups,
he still lives in luxury.
On a Friday night,
something happened in Calcutta.
A notorious thief was caught.
The thief was caught!
Because a waiting woman gave a wink,
a brave man came in disguise, waiting for the right moment.
Because a waiting woman gave a wink,
a brave man came in disguise, waiting for the right moment.
Knowing that the awaited moment had arrived,
he arrested the thieves and put them under guard.
On a Friday night,
something happened in Calcutta.
A notorious thief was caught.
The thief was caught!
The darling girl kept waiting at home,
and embraced her lover the moment he arrived.
The darling girl kept waiting at home,
and embraced her lover the moment he arrived.
Pinching his cheeks over and over,
she left tender marks on him.
Until the rooster crowed at dawn,
she showered him with love.
On a Friday night,
something happened in Calcutta.
A notorious thief was caught.
The thief was caught!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Vellikkizhamai Raththiri Neram is a famous cabaret-style song from the 1971 movie Thangaikaga, featuring music by M. S. Viswanathan and lyrics by Kannadasan. Set against a playful story narrated in Kolkata on a Friday night, the lyrics use a thief as a metaphor for a lover who steals hearts and loots luxury, only to be captured by the affection of a beautiful woman. The song follows the playful nocturnal encounter of lovers, where the thief of hearts is willingly imprisoned by love throughout the night until dawn. L. R. Eswari's energetic vocals add a thrilling and seductive charm to Kannadasan's clever storytelling.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Maangani pol oru pennai pidiththaan / Vellam polae selvam kandu”

Compares the girl to a sweet mango ('Maangani pol') and wealth overflowing like a flood ('Vellam polae').

Alliteration (Moonaai)

“Maanikka maaligal... Maangani pol... / Kannam thottum kinnam thottum”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds like 'M' in 'Maanikka' and 'Maangani', or 'K' in 'Kannam' and 'Kinnam'.

Repetition (Anaphora/Epanalepsis)

“Kannam thannai killi killi”

Repetition of words like 'killi killi' for rhythmic emphasis and playfulness.

Did you know?

Trivia

Thangaikaga (1971) stars Sivaji Ganesan. L. R. Eswari's energetic vocal style combined with M. S. Viswanathan's brass-heavy Western cabaret composition made this track one of the most famous club dance numbers in Tamil cinema during the 1970s.

Keep listening

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Andha Rathikku1974
PrayachithamDesirePlayful
Kolli Malai Saralamma1972
JakkammaFolk InfluencedStorytelling
Kadhai Ondru Naan1964
Magale Un SamathuCourtshipRomantic
Kandaen Ayya1949
Kanniyin KadhaliDesireNarrative

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