This is the A.R. Rahman classic "Jiya Jale" from Dil Se. It's a great song and Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan are pretty... er... steamy.
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And while it's a legit beautiful song to listen to, we all have the same question: WHAT ARE THE MALAYALAM LYRICS TO THE SONG?
And there have been... interpretations of the lyrics.
But, this was a 19-year-old mystery that needed to be solved.
LET US BEGIN WITH THE OPENING LINES, LADIES AND GENTS.
Punchiri thanji konjikko
Munthiri mutholi chinthikko
Monjani varna chundari vaave
Thaankunakka thakathimi aadum thankanilaave, hoy
Thanka kolusalle
Kurukum kuyilalle
Maaran-a mayilalley
Let's break this down, bit-by-bit:
So those lines loosely translate to:
Punchiri thanji konjikko
Smile and flirt with me
Munthiri mutholi chinthikko
Think of kisses sweet as grape
Monjani varna chundari vaave
Oh, you beautiful girl.
Thaankunakka thakathimi
(drum beats basically, there's no meaning here)
aadum thankanilaave, hoy
Dance in the golden moonlight
Thanka kolusalle
Aren't you like a golden anklet?
Kurukum kuyilalle
Aren't you like a cooing koel?
Maaran-a mayilalley
Aren't you your lover's peacock?
YEP. This is a song about bird mating season, friends and family.
NEXT SET OF WORDS AND THOUGHTS, PEOPLE:
Hey, kuruvanikiliye, kuruvanikiliye
Kukuru kurukuru kooki kuruki, kunnimarathil uyal aadi
Koodum orikki kootu vilikunne
Maran nine kooki kuruki kootu vilikunne
Breaking this down to understand, yet again:
If you're a smart person (and I know you are), you will understand that this is MORE BIRD SEXYTIME:
Hey, kuruvanikiliyiye
Oh cooing bird
Kukuru kurukuru kooki kuruki,kunnimarathil uyal aadi
Cooing, swinging on the bean tree
Koodum orike kootu vilikunne
He's calling you after making the nest
Maran nine kooki kuruki kootu vilikunne
Your lover is calling you again and again
That's about it, guys. Just wanted to tell you all that your childhoods were spent singing nonsense about bird sex.
