Vairamuthu, Lyricist, Poet
Lyricist, Poet

Vairamuthu

Born 13 July 1953 · Tamil Nadu

Wrote lyrics for the Tamil film Nizhalgal, marking his debut in 1980.

Vairamuthu Ramasamy is an Indian lyricist, poet, and novelist working in the Tamil film industry. He is a prominent figure in the Tamil literary world. A master's graduate from the Pachaiyappa's College in Chennai, he first worked as a translator, while also being a published poet. He entered the Tamil film industry in the year 1980, with the film Nizhalgal, an Ilaiyaraaja musical, directed by Bharathiraja.

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A detail that
surprised us

“

Vairamuthu was only 19 when his first poetry book became part of a college syllabus, a rare feat for a living student author.

The Story

1
🌾 In 1957, Vairamuthu's family was uprooted from Mettoor village due to the Vaigai Dam construction, a trauma he later immortalized in his novel Kallikaattu Ithihaasam.
2
At age 19 in 1972, while still a student at Pachaiyappa's College, he published Vaigarai Megangal, a poetry anthology that was incorporated into the Women's Christian College syllabus.
3📜 In 1979, his second poetry collection Thiruthi Ezhuthiya Theerpugal marked a shift towards social critique, influencing the modern Tamil poetry movement Pudukkavithai.
4🎬 In 1980, Vairamuthu debuted in Tamil cinema with the film Nizhalgal, collaborating with composer Ilaiyaraaja and director Bharathiraja, launching a prolific songwriting career exceeding 7,500 songs.

🏅 Awards & Honours

2003
Padma Shri
2014
Padma Bhushan

🔍 One thing most people don't know

“

In 1980, Vairamuthu entered Tamil cinema with the song 'Pon Maalai Pozhuthu' for Nizhalgal, marking the start of over 7,500 songs penned across four decades.

🖼️

Through the Years

5 photographs from the archives
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Rajat Kamal Award to Vairamuthu in New Delhi (2011).
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting the Rajat Kamal Award to Vairamuthu in New Delhi (2011).
2011
Vairamuthu with actor Jayakanth at a public event (2012).
The President Pranab Mukherjee presenting the Padma Bhushan Award to Vairamuthu in New Delhi (2014).
Vairamuthu at the audio launch of the film Lingaa (2014).
Vairamuthu with Mani Ratnam and AR Rahman at the Chekka Chivantha Vaanam audio launch (2018).

🗓️ A Life in Moments

🕊️
Birth
Born in Mettoor, Tamil Nadu
Vairamuthu Ramasamy was born to agriculturalists Ramasamy Thevar and Angammal in the village of Mettoor, Theni district.
1953
🌟
Other
Family relocated due to Vaigai Dam
His family moved from Mettoor to Vadugapatti following the evacuation caused by the Vaigai Dam construction.
1957
📖
Publication
Published first poetry anthology
At 19, he published Vaigarai Megangal, which became part of Women's Christian College curriculum.
1972
📖
Publication
Released second poetry collection
Thiruthi Ezhuthiya Theerpugal, a milestone in modern Tamil poetry, was published.
1979
⚡
Career
Debuted in Tamil cinema
Entered the film industry with Nizhalgal, collaborating with Ilaiyaraaja and Bharathiraja.
1980
🏅
Award
Won Sahitya Akademi Award
Received the award for his novel Kallikaattu Ithihaasam, depicting farmer displacement.
2003
🏅
Award
Received Jnanpith Award
Conferred India’s highest literary honor recognizing lifetime contribution to Tamil literature.
2025
More moments to come...
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🗝️Discoveries

Swipe to uncover hidden stories
01 / 04
🌍HISTORICAL IMPACT

His 1979 poetry collection Thiruthi Ezhuthiya Theerpugal is credited with pioneering the Pudukkavithai movement that challenged social and moral norms through sharp poetic critique.

02 / 04
🔍LESSER KNOWN

Vairamuthu's Kallikaattu Ithihaasam vividly documents the loss experienced by farmers displaced by the Vaigai Dam, combining ecological and cultural histories rarely captured in Tamil literature.

03 / 04
🏆ACHIEVEMENT

By 2025, Vairamuthu had won seven National Film Awards for Best Lyrics, the most for any Indian lyricist, a record spanning over 40 years of work.

No quote recorded for Vairamuthu yet.

🎙️ Speeches & Recordings

These recordings preserve the legacy of Bharat's icons
Throwback to Kavignar Vairamuthu talking about how he wrote the beautiful song “Kannalane” #suntv
More from this archive
Throwback to Kavignar Vairamuthu talking about how he wrote the beautiful song “Kannalane” #suntv
01
Throwback to Kavignar Vairamuthu talking about how he wrote the beautiful song “Kannalane” #suntv
Vairamuthu Interview | Republic Day Special | January 28th, 2015
02
Vairamuthu Interview | Republic Day Special | January 28th, 2015
நாங்கள் பட்டழிந்தது போதும், கொட்டழிந்தது போதும் - Vairamuthu | 5 Minutes Interview | Sun News
03
நாங்கள் பட்டழிந்தது போதும், கொட்டழிந்தது போதும் - Vairamuthu | 5 Minutes Interview | Sun News
Vairamuthu Speech Southern India Cinematographers Association
04
Vairamuthu Speech Southern India Cinematographers Association
Why Vairamuthu Accepts Every AWARD? | "Never Underestimate Media" | TN 120
05
Why Vairamuthu Accepts Every AWARD? | "Never Underestimate Media" | TN 120
வைரமுத்துவின் கதை | Vairamuthu Story | Poet | Lyricist | கதைகளின் கதை
06
வைரமுத்துவின் கதை | Vairamuthu Story | Poet | Lyricist | கதைகளின் கதை
கன்னத்தில் அறையப்பட்டு கற்றுக்கொண்டேன் - Exclusive Interview with Kaviperarasu Vairamuthu |Part-2
07
கன்னத்தில் அறையப்பட்டு கற்றுக்கொண்டேன் - Exclusive Interview with Kaviperarasu Vairamuthu |Part-2
100 மருத்துவர்கள், விஞ்ஞானிகளால் முடியாததை கவிஞரின் வரிகள் செய்யும் - பாரதிராஜா | Vairamuthu
08
100 மருத்துவர்கள், விஞ்ஞானிகளால் முடியாததை கவிஞரின் வரிகள் செய்யும் - பாரதிராஜா | Vairamuthu
Vairamuthu About Bhagyaraj at South Indian Film Writers Association Election 2022
09
Vairamuthu About Bhagyaraj at South Indian Film Writers Association Election 2022
Vairamuthu sir book-அ படிச்சிட்டே வந்தேன்..! Ft. Karthik Netha
10
Vairamuthu sir book-அ படிச்சிட்டே வந்தேன்..! Ft. Karthik Netha

🌱 What changed because of them

Vairamuthu’s lyrics reshaped Tamil film music by infusing deep poetic sensibility, impacting composers like Ilaiyaraaja and A. R. Rahman and enriching Tamil cinema’s cultural texture. His literary works, especially Kallikaattu Ithihaasam, preserved the oral history and dialects of displaced farming communities, influencing Tamil literary preservation and social awareness. His receipt of the Jnanpith Award in 2025 spotlighted Tamil literature on the national stage, inspiring newer generations of Tamil writers and poets.

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