Pi's Lullaby

"Pi's Lullaby"
Song

Pi's Lullaby is the intro song of the 2012 film Life of Pi by director Ang Lee. It was composed by Mychael Danna and sung by Bombay Jayashri. The lyrics, in Tamil, were written by Bombay Jayashri. The song earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. The nomination marks the first ever Tamil song to be nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar.

Working on the song, Director Ang Lee explained to Jayashri the mood and feeling the song should evoke. Jayashri notes in her blog that he told her: “A child sleeps not because he is sleepy, but because he feels safe.”

Song

Original Tamil lyrics	Transcription in IAST	Translation into English language
கண்ணே, கண்மணியே கண்ணுறங்காய், பொன்னே மயிலோ, தோகை மயிலோ குயிலோ, கூவும் குயிலோ நிலவோ, நிலவின் ஒளியோ இமையோ, இமையின் கனவோ ராராரோ, .. ராராரோ ராராரோ, .. ராராரோ மலரோ, மலரின் அமுதோ கனியோ, செங்கனியின் சுவையோ ராராரோ, .. ராராரோ	Kaṇṇē, kaṇmaṇiyē Kaṇṇuṟaṅkāy poṉṉē Mayilō, tōkai mayilō Kuyilō, kūvum kuyilō Nilavō, nilaviṉ oḷiyō Imaiyō, imaiyiṉ kaṉavō Rārārō, .. Rārārō Rārārō, .. Rārārō Malarō, malariṉ amutō Kaṉiyō, ceṅkaṉiyiṉ cuvaiyō Rārārō, .. Rārārō	My darling, the apple of my eye, Go to sleep, my dear precious one. Are you a peacock? A peacock displaying its beautiful plumage? Are you a Cuckoo Bird? Are you the chirping Cuckoo Bird? Are you the moon? Are you the moon's light? Are you the eyelid? Are you the dreams within the eyelids? Sleep humming.. Sleep humming.. Are you a flower? Are you the sweet nectar of the flower? Are you a fruit? Are you the sweet taste of the ripened fruit? Sleep humming..

Controversy

The Irayimman Thampi Memorial Trust alleged that the first eight lines of Pi's Lullaby were not an original composition but a mere translation into Tamil of Irayimman Thampi's famous lullaby in Malayalam: Omanathinkal Kidavo. The song has been nominated in the Original Song category for the 85th Academy Awards. Jayashri however maintains, that she merely wrote, what came to her heart and has denied the allegation against her.

Partial lyrics taken from Omanathinkal Kidavo, which are alleged to be similar:

Malayalam lyrics	Transcription in Latin alphabet	Translation into English
നല്ല കോമളത്താമാരപ്പൂവോ പൂവില്‍ നിറഞ്ഞ മധുവോ പരി പൂര്‍ണേന്ദു തന്‍റെ നിലാവോ ചാഞ്ചാടിയാടും മയിലോ മൃദു പഞ്ചമം പാടും കുയിലോ	Nalla Komalatthamarappoovo Poovil niranja madhuvo Paripoornendu thante nilavo Chanchadiyadum mayilo Mrudu panchamam padum kuyilo	Are you a pretty lotus flower? Are you the nectar filling [the] flower? Are you the full moon's light? Are you a swaying peacock? Are you a softly singing cuckoo bird?