FLAMINGO

CHAPTER – 6 POETS AND PANCAKES

BY ASOKAMITRAN
every aspect of life in India.
THEME OF THE LESSON

For nearly thirty years from 1940, the Gemini Studios of Madras (Chennai) was the most
influential film-producing organisation of India and its founder, the brilliant multi-faceted
entrepreneur S.S.Vasan lent substance and quality to the rather fragile and unpredictable
movie business. Its emblem of two small boys with bugles was true to Vasan’s slogan for the
Studios, 'when the bugles blow, there is a great show,’ Gemini films entertained millions all
over India and abroad. Sahitya Akademi award-winning Tamil writer Ashokamitran worked
for the Gemini Studios from 1952 to 1966. He recorded his reminiscences in My Years with
Boss which remains one of the most unusual books to be written about the entertainment
world and clearly indicates the enormous impact of the movies on virtually every aspect of
life in India.

CHAPTER HIGHLIGHTS

Pancakes and the Make-up Department

 The word ‘Pancakes’ from the title ‘Poets and Pancakes’ is the name of a make-up
brand that Gemini Studios used in large amounts. It is a very popular brand used by
famous celebrities of that time.
 The make-up room looked just like a salon with around 6-7 large mirrors surrounded
by large bulbs all around them. The bright lights emitted a lot of heat and were a
source of discomfort for those getting their make-up done.
 The fact that people from different cultures and religions worked together puts
forward the post-independence national integration scenario.
 Make-up men could turn any decent-looking person into a hideous crimson hued
monster with the help of truck-loads of pancake and a number of other locally made
potions and lotions.
 Just like any large organisation, the make-up studio followed a hierarchy.

Asokamitran’s Role in Gemini Studios

 The duty of Asokamitran in Gemini Studios was to cut out newspaper clippings on a
wide variety of subjects and store them in files.
 Most people thought his job to be insignificant and he suspected that his boss used to
think likewise.
 People took it as an incentive to go uninvitedly in his cubicle, to lecture him about
doing something real.
The Office Boy at Gemini Studios
 The office boy at Gemini studios was not a boy but a man in his early forties who
was also a poet and like million others, had joined the studio with the dream of
becoming an actor or screenwriter, director or lyricist.
  The office boy would barge in the narrator’s cabin to share his views on how his
poetic talent was getting wasted in the make-up department.
 The boy from the make-up department was very well-convinced that the main reason
for all his misery was Kothamangalam Subbu.
Subbu, Number Two at Gemini Studios
 He was born a Brahmin which was considered to be a virtue, because of which he
could associate with well-off people and be in comfortable situations. He was a
cheerful man, capable of keeping a happy face even after his film didn’t do well.
 Subbu was a very resourceful man, well known for his creativity and a perfect fit in
the profession of filmmaking. One had to only tell him a scenario and he would come
with many ways to perform it.
 Filmmaking was a lot easier when he was around. He alone, gave Gemini Studios a
unique identity.
 He was great at poetry. He composed various folk stories, poems and a novel.
 Whichever role he performed; he had the ability to perform better than the main
actors.
 He treated everyone with sincere respect and affection, so much so that his home was
a permanent residence for all his relatives.
The Story Department
 Subbu worked under the Story department. The department consisted of poets,
writers and strangely, a lawyer.
 The lawyer wore unique western clothes, different from the usual uniform that
consisted of a dhoti made of khadi fabric and a slightly oversized khadi shirt.
 He was a neutral man with logic which did not value human feelings and was usually
seen helpless in a world full of literary enthusiasts.
 He was very close to the boss and just as the trend goes, he too was allowed to
produce his own film which could not do very well. A lot of make-up products and
pancake stash were used in the process. Eventually, the boss shut down the Story
Department and he also lost his job.
Atmosphere at Gemini Studios
 The Gemini studio was frequented by famous poets like S.D.S.Yogiar, Sangu
Subramanyam, Krishna Sastry and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya.
 Only the office boys and some clerks at the studio worked, the others enjoyed their
free time.
 Most of the poets wore clothes made of khadi fabric and respected Gandhiji but were
not politically inclined.
Moral Re-Armament Army
 Gemini Studio displayed extreme hospitality when Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-
Armament army consisting of 200 people came to Madras in 1952.
 They were referred to as the International Circus even though they were not very
good with trapeze and the only association they had with animals, was at the dinner
table.
  Their two plays that were performed with full proficiency and professionalism got a
lot of appreciation while they performed it again and again in different parts of
Madras. Though the plots and message were not complex, their sets and costumes
were near to perfection.
Mysterious Visitor at Gemini Studios
 Gemini Studios got yet another chance to welcome a poet or an editor from England.
They were curious as to who was the one visiting Gemini Studios as they had not
heard of him.
 Finally when the guest arrived the Boss welcomed him with a speech and the speech
made it clear that he knew about him just as little as they did. Then it was time for
the poet (or editor) to enlighten the audience but unfortunately, no one could
understand a word due to his British accent.
 People couldn’t understand the reason why a British poet was there at a studio that
made Tamil films and among the people who had no taste for English poetry. His
visit was indeed a mystery.
 After many years the author visited British Council library and there, he saw many
copies of The Encounter. The editor's name was Stephen Spender and rung a bell in
Asokamitran's heart.
 Many years later, he took a copy of the book titled The God That Failed. It had six
essays by six famous men who wrote about communism and one of the writers was
Stephen Spender. As the writer read Stephen's name, the book became important for
him because he had visited Gemini studios.
REFERENCE TO CONTEXT QUESTIONS:

1. On the days when there was a crowd-shooting, you could see him mixing his paint in a
giant vessel and slapping it on the crowd players. The idea was to close every pore on
the surface of the face in the process of applying make-up. He wasn’t exactly a ‘boy’:
he was in his early forties, having entered the studios years ago in the hope of
becoming a star actor or a top screen writer, director, or lyrics writer. He was a bit of a
poet.

a. Who is ‘he’ in the above lines.

b. What is ‘his paint’ being referred to?
c. Why was ‘he’ frustrated?
d. What work was assigned to ‘him’ at the studio?

2. Gemini Studios was the favourite haunt of poets like S.D.S. Yogiar, Sangu
Subramanyam, Krishna Sastry and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya. It had an excellent
mess which supplied good coffee at all times of the day and for most part of the night.
Those were the days when Congress rule meant Prohibition and meeting over a cup of
coffee was rather satisfying entertainment. Barring the office boys and a couple of
clerks, everybody else at the Studios radiated leisure, a pre-requisite for poetry.
 a. Why all four poets mentioned above gathered at Gemini Studios?
b. What is referred to as ‘satisfying entertainment’?
c. What according to the author, did the Congress rule mean those days?
d. Why was leisure considered a pre-requisite for poetry?

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS (40-50 words):

1. Why did the legal adviser lose his job in the Gemini Studios?

 The legal adviser worked in the story department

 It was later closed by the boss
2. What do you understand by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make up?
 The makeup room was glowed by many incandescent lights which produced very
fiery heat.
 Artists had to face that extreme heat as they had to sit there for makeup.
 They were pitiful and could not do anything in this regard.
3. What happened with Subbu’s literary achievements later? ‘

 Though, Subbu was a tailor made for films, but he had a talent of poetry and writing
novels.
 As his filmy career grew higher, his literary talent and achievements were
overshadowed and dwarfed by his own success.

4. What could be the reason for the closure of the story department?

 The story department was comprised of many poets and writers and also a lawyer
with them.
 The possible reason for the shutting down of the story department may be unbearable
expenses or regular salary of the members and less output in return.

5. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

 Make-up department is the fine example of national integration.

 People speaking different languages and from different castes and states of India used

to work there together.
6. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the
studios? Why was he disappointed?

 During the crowd shooting in the Gemini Studios, the office boy used to paint their
faces slapping with heavy paint.
 Thinking that he would become a top star, screen writer or a director or lyrics writer;
he joined the Gemini Studios.
 He couldn’t succeed and was disappointed due to his failure and thought that his
talent was going to be wasted.
7. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

 The author’s duty was to cut the newspaper clippings for the subject,
 arrange them in a file and some-times writing by hand and
 this work appeared to be ^useless or valueless in others’ view.
8. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.

 Though Subbu was a versatile character having many qualities.

 He was tailor-made for films, could solve any of the problem.
 He, being a poet could write any type of poetry
 He was always joyful and had very sound relationship with his relatives and
acquaintances.
 He was also had a talent of writing novels.

9. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?

 The lawyer of story department, used to wear trousers, shirts and tie whereas others
wore dhotis and especially khadi.
 So, sometimes wearing a coat also, the lawyer stood out different from others.

10. Give one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by
MRA.

 The Gemini Studios was influenced by the sunset and sunrise scenes presented by
MRA through their play ‘Jotham Valley’,
 The scene seemed to be unique with white background and a tune played on the flute.

11. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?

 Englishman’s visit is referred to as unexplained mystery because nobody could
understand the purpose of his visit.
 The studio’s people made Tamil films for the simplest sort of people, and they had no
taste for English poetry.

12. How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studio was?
 The author was interested in a contest organised by a British periodical ‘The
Encounter’.
 So, for periodicals, he went to British council library where he saw the prints of ‘The
Encounter’.
 He discovered the editor’s name which was ‘Stephen Spender’ an Englishman who
visited the Gemini Studios.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS (120-150 words)
1. Kothamangalam Subbu was a ‘many-sided genius’. Elaborate.

 Subbu, Kothamangalam Subbu was a Brahmin by caste and placed at no. 2 position at
the Gemini Studios. He always remained cheerful and satisfied.
 Though he was very generous to all people of the Gemini Studios as well as all the
relatives and acquaintances, yet he too was having his woes.
 People disliked him because of his closeness to the boss. He was very loyal to his
boss.
 At Gemini Studios, he had the solution of all problems at one place. He seemed to be
indulged in every important affair of the company.
 He also had the artistic talent as he was a poet and novelist also. He used to write in a
simple way for common mass as he composed several folk dictions and deftly created
characters for novel.
 He was an amazing actor though never acted for a lead role but got more praise than
the main character. He was a tailor-made actor with unmatchable capacities.

2. Describe the make-up department of Gemini Studios.

 The make-up department of the Gemini Studios was established on the upstairs of a
building that was believed to have been Robert Clive’s stables.
 The make-up room had the look of a hair-cutting salon with lights at all angles. The
lights were incandescent which produced the extreme heat and about half dozen big
mirrors reflected the light, that was totally unbearable for the artists to be made-up.
 The make-up department was first headed by a Bengali who when left, a
Maharashtrian headed it with an assistant Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras
Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the usual local Tamils.
 In this way, there was a great deal of national integration. A strict hierarchy could be
noticed at make-up department.
 The chief make-up man attended to the chief actors and actresses.
 His senior assistant looked to the ‘second’ hero and heroine, the junior assistant the
main comedian and so forth.

3. The author has used gentle humour to point out human problems. Pick out instances
of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.

 Many instances of humour are used by the author in this piece.

 Scenes of makeup department and usage of Pancakes is very humorous. It was more
of a hair cutting saloon than the makeup room containing too many lights and mirrors.
Makeup team could easily convert an ordinary man into a hideous crimson hued
monster.
 According to the strict hierarchy, people were fixed for various levels of artists.
 Reference to the ‘office boy’ though a 40-year-old man.
 People at Gemini studios were completely baffled by the visit of the Englishman. The
incongruity of an English poet ad-dressing the audience at Gemini Studios that
made Tamil movies generates humour.