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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yen Pen Endru

From Love Today · 1997

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
P. Unnikrishnan
Music director
Shiva
Details
Love Today1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yen pen endru pirandhaaiWhy were you born as a woman?
Yen en kannil vizhundhaaiWhy did you fall into my eyes?
Yen oru paadhi sirithaaiWhy did you give a half smile?
En uyir poovai erithaaiWhy did you burn the flower of my life?
Male
Mudhal naal paarthaai urakam keduthaaiYou looked at me on the first day and ruined my sleep.
Muraiyaa endren kangal parithaaiI asked if this was fair, but you snatched my eyes away.
En vali theera oru vazhi ennaWhat is the way to relieve my pain?
En pani poovae meendum paarthaal ennaMy snow flower, what if you look at me again?
Male
Yen pen endru pirandhaaiWhy were you born as a woman?
Yen en kannil vizhundhaaiWhy did you fall into my eyes?
Male
Nee soodum oru poo thandhaalIf you give me a single flower worn by you,
En aasthi ellam kodupenI will give away all my property.
Un vaayaal en per sonnaalIf you utter my name with your mouth,
Un kaaladiyil kidapenI will remain lying at your feet.
Male
Thookathai tholaithenaeI have lost my sleep,
Thudikudhu nenjamMy heart is throbbing uncontrollably.
Male
Thalai pona seval polLike a headless rooster,
Thavikudhu angamMy body writhes in agony.
Irandil ondru solli viduTell me one outcome or the other,
Illai neeyae kolliyiduOr else, light my funeral pyre yourself.
Male
Yen pen endru pirandhaaiWhy were you born as a woman?
Yen en kannil vizhundhaaiWhy did you fall into my eyes?
Male
Nogaamal pirar kaanaamalWithout causing pain and without others noticing,
Undhan aadai nuni thoduvenI will touch merely the edge of your dress.
Enna aanalum uyir ponaalumWhatever happens, even if my life leaves me,
Oru thendral endrae varuvenI will come only like a gentle breeze.
Male
Nee ennai paarthaal thaanOnly when you look at me,
Thudikudhu ullamDoes my heart beat with life.
Nee ennai pirindhaaloIf you separate from me,
Ullam verum pallamMy heart becomes an empty void.
Male
Imayam ketkum en thudipuThe Himalayas could hear my heartbeat,
Yeno unakul kadhavadaipuYet why is there a closed door inside you?
Male
Yen pen endru pirandhaaiWhy were you born as a woman?
Yen en kannil vizhundhaaiWhy did you fall into my eyes?
Yen oru paadhi sirithaaiWhy did you give a half smile?
En uyir poovai erithaaiWhy did you burn the flower of my life?
Male
Mudhal naal paarthaai urakam keduthaaiYou looked at me on the first day and ruined my sleep.
Muraiyaa endren kangal parithaaiI asked if this was fair, but you snatched my eyes away.
En vali theera oru vazhi ennaWhat is the way to relieve my pain?
En pani poovae meendum paarthaal ennaMy snow flower, what if you look at me again?
Male
Yen pen endru pirandhaaiWhy were you born as a woman?
Yen en kannil vizhundhaaiWhy did you fall into my eyes?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Yen Pen Endru Pirandhaai from Love Today (1997) is a soulful romantic track expressing the overwhelming anguish and helpless adoration of a man captivated by love. The protagonist addresses his beloved, asking why fate brought her into his life to disrupt his peace. A single half-smile from her has shattered his rest and consumed his soul, leaving him torn between intense passion and emotional agony. Throughout the song, he expresses a willingness to surrender everything—his wealth, his pride, and even his life—for the smallest gesture of acknowledgment from her. He pleads for clarity, begging her either to accept his devotion or put an end to his suffering once and for all.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uwamai)

Thalai pona seval pol

Compares the hero's squirming emotional agony directly to the restless movements of a headless rooster.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

Imayam ketkum en thudipu

Exaggerates the loudness and intensity of his pounding heart by claiming even the distant Himalayas can hear it.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

En uyir poovai erithaai

Compares the protagonist's fragile life and soul to a delicate flower that has been set ablaze by love.

Anaphora (Moni)

Yen pen endru pirandhaai / Yen en kannil vizhundhaai

Repetition of the questioning word 'Yen' at the beginning of consecutive lines to emphasize his bewilderment.

Did you know?

Trivia

Love Today (1997), directed by Balasekaran and starring Vijay and Suvalakshmi, was a blockbuster romantic drama that cemented Vijay's stardom in Tamil cinema. The film's soundtrack was composed by Shiva, and this emotional track was rendered by renowned playback singer Unni Menon with lyrics written by Vairamuthu.

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