- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singers
- L. R. Eswari, K. Jamunarani
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Movie name
- Ellorum Innaattu Mannar
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 16 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Vishayam Onnu Solla Poren is a socially conscious folk-style duet from the 1960 movie Ellorum Innaattu Mannar, written by the legendary poet Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. The song is structured as a dialogue between two working-class individuals expressing opposing yet complementary viewpoints on societal change, struggle, and justice. One voice optimistically declares that the era of oppression is ending and happiness will reach even the poor huts, while the other voice skeptically points out how exploitative figures, acting like foxes and vultures, make peaceful living difficult. Ultimately, the song delivers a strong message of social awareness and working-class empowerment. Kalyanasundaram highlights how oppressors thrive on deception and the exploited labor of the poor, but asserts that once the common masses unite and confront these oppressors, the exploiters will be forced to flee.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Refrain / Repetitive Imperative (Adukkut Thodai)
“Keladi kelu”
The repeated phrases 'Keladi kelu' (Listen, girl, listen!) and 'Solladi sollu' (Speak, girl, speak!) establish a conversational folk rhythm and keep the audience engaged.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nariyum kazhugum ulavum bodhu”
Describing oppressive exploiters as 'Nariyum kazhugum' (Foxes and vultures) metaphorically emphasizes their predatory and deceitful nature in society.
Initial Rhyme / Assonance (Mona) & Second Letter Rhyme (Edugai)
“Yemaathum porvaiyilae / Ezhaigalin vaervaiyilae”
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram uses strong Tamil rhythmic alignment across lines 30-36 with repeating sound patterns ('Yemaathum', 'Ezhaigalin', 'Ekkaalam', 'Edhithu').
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Trivia
The film 'Ellorum Innaattu Mannar' (1960) was notable for casting M. N. Nambiar—who was overwhelmingly famous across South Indian cinema for playing iconic villainous roles—as the main heroic protagonist. Lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram was renowned for integrating leftist, socialist, and anti-feudal themes into mainstream Tamil cinema lyrics.
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