Venilla Venilla
From Iruvar · 1997
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Asha Bhosle
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Iruvar1997
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae | O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon! |
| Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal | First love has arrived. |
| Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral | A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes, |
| Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal | First love blossomed upon sight. |
| Female | |
| Thoondilil meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook? |
| Thooyavaanaa | Or am I the pure sky? |
| Kaaranam naanaa | Am I the cause? |
| Neeyae neeyae sol | You tell me, you tell me yourself! |
| Female | |
| Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae | O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon! |
| Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl.. | First love has arrived... |
| Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral | A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes, |
| Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal | First love blossomed upon sight. |
| Female | |
| Thoondilil meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook? |
| Thooyavaanaa | Or am I the pure sky? |
| Kaaranam naanaa | Am I the cause? |
| Neeyae neeyae sol | You tell me, you tell me yourself! |
| Chorus | |
| …………………………………. | |
| Female | |
| Ennavaa ennavaa | What is it, what is it? |
| Edhu kandu maiyal aanaai | Seeing what did you fall madly in love? |
| Edhanaal edhanaal | Why, oh why, |
| Imai kadandhu kannaai ponaai | Did you cross my eyelids and become my eyes? |
| Female | |
| Neeyengo pirandhaai | You were born somewhere far away, |
| Naanengo pirandhen | I was born somewhere far away, |
| Orae oru paarvaiyaal | Yet with just a single glance, |
| Uyirai kudiththaai | You drank away my soul. |
| Female | |
| Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae | O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon! |
| Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl.. | First love has arrived... |
| Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral | A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes, |
| Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal | First love blossomed upon sight. |
| Female | |
| Thoondilil meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook? |
| Thooyavaanaa | Or am I the pure sky? |
| Kaaranam naanaa | Am I the cause? |
| Neeyae neeyae sol | You tell me, you tell me yourself! |
| Chorus | |
| ………………………………… | |
| Female | |
| Kangalai moodinaal | When I close my eyes, |
| Kangal vandhu ullam killum | Your eyes come and pinch my heart. |
| Kattilai naadinaal | When I seek my bed, |
| Iravingu neelam kollum | The night here grows endless and long. |
| Female | |
| Verodu thudikka | Trembling to my very roots, |
| Yaarodu uraikka | Whom can I express this to? |
| Kanaa kanda kaatchigal | Will the visions seen in my dreams |
| Kaiyil varumaa | Ever manifest into reality? |
| Female | |
| Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae | O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon! |
| Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl.. | First love has arrived... |
| Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral | A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes, |
| Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal | First love blossomed upon sight. |
| Female | |
| Thoondilil meenaa | Am I a fish caught on a hook? |
| Thooyavaanaa | Or am I the pure sky? |
| Kaaranam naanaa | Am I the cause? |
| Neeyae neeyae sol | You tell me, you tell me yourself! |
விஷ்லிங் :
.........................
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
First love has arrived.
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
First love blossomed upon sight.
வெண்ணிலா
வெண்ணிலா வெண்ணிலாவே
வந்ததே முதற்காதல்
கண்ணிலே கண்ணிலே
மதுச்சாரல் கண்டதும்
முதற்காதல்
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Or am I the pure sky?
Am I the cause?
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
தூண்டிலில்
மீனா தூயவானா
காரணம் நானா நீயே
நீயே சொல்
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
First love has arrived...
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
First love blossomed upon sight.
வெண்ணிலா
வெண்ணிலா வெண்ணிலாவே
வந்ததே முதற்காதல்
கண்ணிலே கண்ணிலே
மதுச்சாரல் கண்டதும்
முதற்காதல்
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Or am I the pure sky?
Am I the cause?
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
தூண்டிலில்
மீனா தூயவானா
காரணம் நானா நீயே
நீயே சொல்
........................
What is it, what is it?
Seeing what did you fall madly in love?
Why, oh why,
Did you cross my eyelids and become my eyes?
என்னவா என்னவா
எது கண்டு மையல் ஆனாய்
எதனால் எதனால் இமை
கடந்து கண்ணாய்ப் போனாய்
You were born somewhere far away,
I was born somewhere far away,
Yet with just a single glance,
You drank away my soul.
நீயெங்கோ பிறந்தாய்
நானெங்கோ பிறந்தேன்
ஒரே ஒரு பார்வையால்
உயிரைக் குடித்தாய்
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
First love has arrived...
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
First love blossomed upon sight.
வெண்ணிலா
வெண்ணிலா வெண்ணிலாவே
வந்ததே முதற்காதல்
கண்ணிலே கண்ணிலே
மதுச்சாரல் கண்டதும்
முதற்காதல்
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Or am I the pure sky?
Am I the cause?
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
தூண்டிலில்
மீனா தூயவானா
காரணம் நானா நீயே
நீயே சொல்
........................
When I close my eyes,
Your eyes come and pinch my heart.
When I seek my bed,
The night here grows endless and long.
கண்களை மூடினால்
கண்கள் வந்து உள்ளம் கிள்ளும்
கட்டிலை நாடினால் இரவிங்கு
நீளம் கொள்ளும்
Trembling to my very roots,
Whom can I express this to?
Will the visions seen in my dreams
Ever manifest into reality?
வேரோடு
துடிக்க யாரோடு
உரைக்க கனாக்
கண்ட காட்சிகள்
கையில் வருமா
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
First love has arrived...
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
First love blossomed upon sight.
வெண்ணிலா
வெண்ணிலா வெண்ணிலாவே
வந்ததே முதற்காதல்
கண்ணிலே கண்ணிலே
மதுச்சாரல் கண்டதும்
முதற்காதல்
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Or am I the pure sky?
Am I the cause?
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
தூண்டிலில்
மீனா தூயவானா
காரணம் நானா நீயே
நீயே சொல்
Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal
First love has arrived.
Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal
First love blossomed upon sight.
Thoondilil meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Thooyavaanaa
Or am I the pure sky?
Kaaranam naanaa
Am I the cause?
Neeyae neeyae sol
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl..
First love has arrived...
Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal
First love blossomed upon sight.
Thoondilil meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Thooyavaanaa
Or am I the pure sky?
Kaaranam naanaa
Am I the cause?
Neeyae neeyae sol
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
………………………………….
Ennavaa ennavaa
What is it, what is it?
Edhu kandu maiyal aanaai
Seeing what did you fall madly in love?
Edhanaal edhanaal
Why, oh why,
Imai kadandhu kannaai ponaai
Did you cross my eyelids and become my eyes?
Neeyengo pirandhaai
You were born somewhere far away,
Naanengo pirandhen
I was born somewhere far away,
Orae oru paarvaiyaal
Yet with just a single glance,
Uyirai kudiththaai
You drank away my soul.
Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl..
First love has arrived...
Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal
First love blossomed upon sight.
Thoondilil meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Thooyavaanaa
Or am I the pure sky?
Kaaranam naanaa
Am I the cause?
Neeyae neeyae sol
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
…………………………………
Kangalai moodinaal
When I close my eyes,
Kangal vandhu ullam killum
Your eyes come and pinch my heart.
Kattilai naadinaal
When I seek my bed,
Iravingu neelam kollum
The night here grows endless and long.
Verodu thudikka
Trembling to my very roots,
Yaarodu uraikka
Whom can I express this to?
Kanaa kanda kaatchigal
Will the visions seen in my dreams
Kaiyil varumaa
Ever manifest into reality?
Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae
O silver moon, O silver moon, O silver moon!
Vandhadhae mudhar kaadhal..illl..
First love has arrived...
Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral
A drizzle of sweet honey in the eyes,
Kandadhum mudhar kaadhal
First love blossomed upon sight.
Thoondilil meenaa
Am I a fish caught on a hook?
Thooyavaanaa
Or am I the pure sky?
Kaaranam naanaa
Am I the cause?
Neeyae neeyae sol
You tell me, you tell me yourself!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Vennilaa Vennilaa is a mesmerizing romantic song from Mani Ratnam's 1997 political drama Iruvar, composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song captures the delicate euphoria, confusion, and overwhelming beauty of experiencing first love. Addressing the moon as a silent confidante, the protagonist reflects on how two complete strangers from different worlds were brought together by a single glance.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Kannilae kannilae madhu chaaral”
Comparing the gaze of love to a shower of sweet honey ('madhu chaaral') entering the eyes.
Rhetorical Question (வினா அணி)
“Thoondilil meenaa / Thooyavaanaa / Kaaranam naanaa”
Using self-reflective questions to express the helpless and overwhelming sensation of falling in love.
Anaphora / Repetition (அடுக்குத்தொடர்)
“Vennilaa vennilaa vennilaavae”
Repetition of words like 'Vennilaa' and 'Edhanaal' to create a hypnotic, rhythmic quality suitable for a dreamlike romantic ballad.
Monorhyme & Assonance (எதுகை)
“Neeyengo pirandhaai / Naanengo pirandhen”
Use of matching second-letter sounds and internal rhyme across lines to establish poetic rhythm.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic track was composed by A.R. Rahman and sung by legendary Hindi playback singer Asha Bhosle, marking one of her rare and celebrated performances in Tamil cinema. Picturized on Aishwarya Rai (in her dual debut role) and Mohanlal, the song features a vintage jazz-influenced arrangement blended with Indian classical sensibilities.
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