Thread by @SadaaShree

My personal favorite from #RRR movie will always be Komaram Bheemudo, the lyrics, the picturization, the singing by Kaal Bhairava, Jr NTR's performance, Keeravani's music all combine just so perfectly. Thread here on the song's meaning.

Komaram Bheemudo song was written by Suddala Ashok Teja, one of the famous lyricists in Telugu cinema, using a tribal dialect, different from the standard Telugu. Ashok's father Hanumanthu was a renowned poet of his time.

The song starts with a dialogue.

భీమా నినుగన్న నేల తల్లి ఊపిరిబోసిన సెట్టూసేమా పేరు బెట్టిన గోండు జాతి నీతో మాట్లాడుతుర్రా ఇనబడుతుందా

Bhīmā ninuganna nēla talli ūpiribōsina seṭṭūsēmā pēru beṭṭina gōṇḍu jāti nītō māṭlāḍuturrā inabaḍutundā

Bheema, the mother earth(Nela Talli) that has given birth to you, the trees that give you breath, the Gond tribe that has given you an identity, are speaking to you , are you able to hear.

Komuraṁ bhīmuḍō komuraṁ bhīmuḍō korrāsu negaḍōlē maṇḍāli koḍukō maṇḍāli koḍukō.

Bheema blaze like the embers of the burning log.
Korrasu Negadole is again a more tribal dialect usage here.

Komuraṁ bhīmuḍō komuraṁ bhīmuḍō ragarāgā sūrīḍai ragalāli koḍukō ragalāli koḍukō ō.

Bheema go blaze like the burning sun.

Again Suridu here is the more rustic version of Suryudu in Telugu.

Kālmoktā bān̄cēnani oṅgi tōgāla kāraḍavi tallīki puṭṭānaṭṭērō puṭṭānaṭṭērō ō ō'ō

Kalmokta Banchan is a term used in Telangana region, where Komaram Bheem comes from, used to indicate a servile attitude, something like “I bow and beg to your feet”.

As the line puts it, are you really born to the forest mother when you beg for mercy from someone.

Kaaravadi Thalli- Basically the concept of treating the forest as the mother, which is there is in tribals.

Julumu gaddeku talanu on̄ci tōgālā tuḍumu tallī pēguna peragānaṭṭērō peragānaṭṭērō ō ō'ō

If you bow your head to the oppresor, has the mother of the forest really raised you.

Julum is basically oppresion, julum gadde while literally means seat of oppression, could also refer to the oppresor or oppresion himself.

Tudumu talli peguna- Pegu is Telugu for intestine, again reference here is to the close bonding tribals have with the forests, literally growing up there.
Pegu Bandham in Telugu is a term we use to indicate a close bond.

Sermāmolisē debbaku abbaṇṭōgālā sinikē raktamu sūsi sediri tōgāla gubulēsi kannīru valiki tōgāla bhūtallī sanubālu tāgānaṭṭērō tāgānaṭṭērō ō ō

When you flinch to the whip lash that tear your skin apart, when you shake at the sight of the blood flowing, when you wail in fear,have you really drank the milk from the breasts of Mother earth.

Kāluvai pārē nī guṇḍe nettūrū ū'ū'u kāluvai pārē nī guṇḍe nettūru nēlam'mā nuduṭi boṭṭavutundi sūḍu am'mā kāḷḷa pāraṇaitundi sūḍu tallī pedavula navvai merisindi sūḍū.

The stream of blood flowing from your heart, decorates the forehead of mother earth like a vermillion, and paints her feet red, see the bright smile on her lips.

Bottu is vermillion, parani is the decoration on the feet used for brides. The writer here metaphorically speaks of how the flowing blood decorates the earth, glorifying the sacrifice of the hero.

Komuraṁ bhīmuḍō komuraṁ bhīmuḍō puḍami talliki janama araṇa mistivirō komuraṁ bhīmuḍō.

Komaram Bheem, you are giving your own life to the mother earth.

As can be seen the song Komaram Bheemudo celebrates not just the defiance by the Gonds against British oppression, but also the close bond they share with the earth and the forest.