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Lyrics & meaning

Vishayam Onnu Sollaporen

From Ellorum Innaattu Mannar · 1960

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singers
L. R. Eswari, K. Jamunarani
Music director
T. G. Lingappa
Details
Ellorum Innaattu Mannar1960

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Haaa…aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…aaa…Vocalizations
Haa…aaa…haaa…aaa….haaa…aaa…haaa…aaa…Vocalizations
Female
Vishayam onnu solla porenI am going to tell you something important,
Keladi keluListen, oh girl, listen!
Unmai veliyagum neram vandhadhuThe time for the truth to be revealed has arrived,
Keladi keluListen, oh girl, listen!
Chorus
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Female
Naddanthathu ellam thaevai illaiWhatever happened in the past is no longer needed,
Thalladi thalluPush it away, push it aside!
Ini nadakka pora sangathiyathaan solladi solluTell me about what is going to happen next, speak up!
Chorus
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Female
Varumaiyillae vattam illaeThere is no endless circle of poverty,
Vayitril adikkum kootam illaeThere are no starving crowds beating their bellies,
Chorus :Haaa…aaa….aaa…aaa…aaaChorus: Vocalizations
Female :Varumaiyillae vattam illaeFemale: There is no endless circle of poverty,
Vayitril adikkum kootam illaeThere are no starving crowds beating their bellies,
Kodumai ellam maari varugudhu keladi keluAll atrocities are beginning to change, listen oh girl, listen!
Kudisaiyai thaan inbam kudisaiyai thaanHappiness seeks out even the humble huts,
Naadi varuthu keladi keluIt comes searching for us, listen oh girl, listen!
Female
Nallavar pola ulagam meedhuWhile pretending to be good people in this world,
Nariyum kazhugum ulavum bodhuWhen cunning foxes and predatory vultures roam about,
Nammai inbam naadi varuma solladi solluWill happiness really come seeking us? Tell me, speak up!
Female
Nimmadhiya ulagam nimmadhiyaaPeacefully... will this world peacefully...
Vaazha vidumaa solladi sollu...allow us to live? Tell me, speak up!
Nadanthathu ellam thaevai illaiWhatever happened in the past is no longer needed,
Thalladi thalluPush it away, push it aside!
Ini nadakka pora sangathiya thaan solladi solluTell me about what is going to happen next, speak up!
Female
Yemaathum porvaiyilaeUnder the cloak of deception,
Ezhaigalin vaervaiyilaeProfiting off the sweat of the poor,
Yemaathum porvaiyilaeUnder the cloak of deception,
Ezhaigalin vaervaiyilaeProfiting off the sweat of the poor,
Ekkaalam podura koottam naatilThe crowds that boast triumphantly in this country,
Ekkaalam podura koottam makkalThe crowds that boast triumphantly—if the people...
Edhithu kitta edukkanum ottam...confront them directly, they will have to run for their lives!
Female
Vishayam onnu solla porenI am going to tell you something important,
Keladi keluListen, oh girl, listen!
Unmai veliyagum neram vandhadhuThe time for the truth to be revealed has arrived,
Keladi keluListen, oh girl, listen!
Chorus
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations
Ohoo ooo hoo ooo ooo oo ooVocalizations

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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').

Did you know?

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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