My Favourite Tamil Song 101: Onakkaaga Poranthaenae – Beautiful, Visually Stunning Romance Song

How to tell a great romance story without being too sexual or physical about it? Well, first time director S. U. Arun Kumar managed to pull out a great story of romance in his debut 2014 movie, Pannaiyaarum Padminiyum where the romance stories revolve around a car that the landlord played excellently by Jayaprakash had in his possession but don’t how to drive it. Image source: IMDB

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Premise of Romance

This movie has one of the greatest ways of portraying how love is shown. Starting with an old which the landlord taking care of another landlord’s car (he will eventually buy it) but he does not know how to drive it kickstarts the first manner of romance. The landlord’s wife likes the car but pretends to be unhappy with the landlord for not being able to drive the car and throws a challenge to him to learn to drive by the time of their wedding anniversary forms the next romance story.

The guy who drives a tractor (played by Vijay Sethupathi) for the landlord is roped in to be the driver and to teach the landlord how o drive and he too becomes very protective of the car. He uses all kinds of excuses to the landlord to keep him as the designated driver and the landlord from learning how to drive.

Then there is the romance between this young man and girl that he once gave a lift during a funeral. And finally, there is the romance of a young boy who always wanted to seat in the front seat but he was asked to pay 5 rupees.

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Storytelling in a Song

The song Onakkaaga Poranthaenae is brilliantly choreographed by Arun Kumar as a great romantic scene between an elderly couple, beautifully composed by Justin Prabhakaran which is also his first movie and the late poet Vaali gave it one of most mesmerising lyrics.

The hidden smiles and understandings between the landlord and his wife speak of their romance all these years and the understanding that they have in between them. A simple gesture like putting aside the sharp coconut grinder as his wife is busy with the cooking tells that the landlord is always on the lookout for his wife’s safety and comfort.

And in the prayers room, after the couple had prayed, the wife refuses to bow down to her husband despite he telling her to do so and yet he knows she is pulling a fast one on him. The landlord serves the meal to his wife but then turns around when a servant enters the room.

And finally, in the end, the beautiful shot of the couple sitting at the porch, looking at the full moon is the icing on the cake and basically sums up the romance between the landlord and his wife.

The Song Lyrics

Poet Vaali passed away in July 2013 so his lyrics in this movie must be of the last few movies that he worked on and yet it nails the emotion and moment when the song is presented on the screen.

Female
I was born for you, my handsome guy
And I will not be separated from you no matter it is day or night (x2)
It does not matter that many years have passed since I married you
Your love and affection has always remained the same
From my head to toe, it is all yours, my dear husband
This it is witnessed by the Goddess Muthaalamman at the south

Male
You were born only for me, my beauty
I have been living with you all written in my heart.

Female
I know if at least once, you don’t touch me when sleeping, you will be restless
And find soft cotton mattress pocks you in the night

Male
Well, it is like a cat gets a basket of dried fish and when there is a good aroma of anchovies meals in the air, will it let it go, my beauty?

Female
Even while I am drinding the flour and look like a flower, don’t stretch your hands to wipe with my saree

Male
Which flower’s fragrance won’t lift me up and overcomes me?
After all, unlike the aged brinjal, you are still young and soft

Female
Yeah, your heart thinks I’ve come of age only the day before yesterday.

Final Say

Unfortunately, not many Indian filmmakers are able to make a good music scene that basically tells about the characters and the relationship between them. S.U. Arun Kumar had managed to do what a lot of experienced filmmakers have failed to do and that is commendable.

When you are down and had a fight with your spouse, this is a good video to rekindle the love that you always had for the other and reminds you that there are bigger things in life than just petty matters in a relationship. And one day you will end up sitting on the porch and watching the moonlight gracefully whilst it is drizziling.