Poets and Pancakes By Asokamitran

Poets and Pancakes

By Asokamitran

About the author

Ashokmitran was born in Secunderabad on 22 September 1931. He spent the first twenty years of his life there. His real name was Jagadisa Thyagarajan. He moved to Chennai in 1952 after the death of his father. His father’s friend, S.S.Vasan who was a film director and the owner of Gemini Studios, invited him to work at Studios. He worked for more than a decade at the Gemini Studios.





S S Vasan, Film Director & Owner of Gemini Studios





Kothmangalam Subbu

While working there he often acted as an “unofficial scribe” (in his own words) for people working in the film industry. He also began writing about his experiences of working in the film industry in a set of columns for the Illustrated Weekly of India; these columns later became his book, My Years with Boss. The ‘boss’ is here referred to S.S. Vasan, the owner of Gemini Studios.


It was from 1966 that he became a full-time writer and he took up the pseudonym of “Ashokamitran”. He began his prolific literary career with the prize-winning play “Anbin Parisu” and went on to author more than two hundred short stories, and a dozen novellas and novels.


In 1973 he was invited and took part in the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, United States. In the 1980s most of his works were translated into English and he and his works became well-known all over India. Some of his works were translated into other European languages and most Indian languages as well.


Ashokamitran died on 23 March 2017 at the age of 85. At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife and three sons.


Image & Text Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/

Introduction

In the lesson ‘Poet and Pancakes’, the author recounts his years spent at Gemini Studios. Gemini Studios was set up in the year 1940 in Chennai. For nearly thirty years from 1940, the Gemini Studios of Madras was the most influential film-producing organization of India and S.S. Vasan, the brilliant multi-faceted entrepreneur was its founder and owner. The Gemini 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. The studios of film production have never confined its activities within the four walls of the studios but it also gives a fine glimpse of the outside world as well.





My Years with Boss is 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.

Detailed Summary

Gemini Studios had been one of the most influential film-producing organizations of India for nearly thirty years from 1940. It was situated in the present-day Chennai and owned by S.S Vasan. Over 600 staff worked in this organization. Gemini Studios made movies for Tamil Nadu and other southern Indian states. The pancake was the makeup material used by the Gemini Studios.


A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department. The chief make-up man attended to the chief actors and actresses, his senior assistant the second hero and heroine, the junior assistant, the main comedian and so forth. The players who played the crowd were the responsibility of the office boy.


Office Boy was a grown-up man in the Makeup Department of the Gemini Studios. He was in charge of the crowd makeup. He applied pancake on their faces with the help of a dipped paintbrush. Though his job was quite an easy one, the office boy considered him to be a greatly skilled artist.


Asokamitran was one of the staff whose job was to collect information such as news events from newspapers and magazines and paste them in files. Most people thought that he was doing next to nothing.


Kothamangalam Subbu was another clerk. He was the No. 2 at the Studios. He was a man of amazing genius. He was able to direct the directors. He suggested dozens of ways to shoot a certain scene when the director failed to find one. He acted better than the heroes. He wrote incredible poems. He had a genuine love for anyone he came across. His house was a permanent residence for dozens of near and far relations and acquaintances. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times. Despite having all these qualities he had enemies everywhere because he was very much close to the boss, Vasan.


The legal advisor worked in the Story Department. He was a lawyer and provided legal advice to the writers yet he was known as the illegal advisor. The following incident is one reason that gave him that name. Once shooting was under progress. The heroine, a highly emotional girl, got angry with the director and producer. While the whole set stood stunned at this, the legal advisor recorded her voice without her permission and made her listen to the playback, thus resulting in at the end of a rising actress.


Gemini Studios had some great poets like Harindranath Chatopadhyaya and a few others. Most of the insignificant poets considered so great of themselves. They had no great talent, no great creativity, no political views, yet they assumed the airs of the greatest poets, wasting Vasan’s money and time. They believed Gandhiji to be the last word of politics and had developed an aversion to Communism.


Communism was a new political order that was spreading throughout the world, especially in Asian countries. Communism preached equality of people and abolition of poverty and class divisions while it discouraged private ownership. But Communism won a negative impression due to the Capitalist countries such as America.


Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament Army with a team of about two hundred actors and actresses visited Madras in 1952. Gemini Studio proved a warm host. Someone called the group an international circus. They weren’t very good on the trapeze. Their acquaintance with animals was only at the dinner table. They presented two plays—‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ in a most professional manner. These plays ran several shows in Madras. Along with the other citizens of the city, the Gemini family of six hundred saw the plays over and over again. After some years the author learned that the MRA was a kind of counter-movement to international communism. Big bosses of Madras like Mr. Vasan simply played into their hands.


A few months later, Gemini Studios welcomed another visitor. Some said he was a poet from England. Others said that he was not a poet, but an editor. Anyway, he came in the afternoon to the studio and gave his speech. His lecture was about Communism on one side and about his struggles to establish as a poet on the other. Whatever he spoke was great, hot, exciting and inspiring, but of what use, his accent was such terrible one that none of the Gemini staff could clearly understand what he had spoken. They felt ashamed for not being able to understand the poet and wished not to meet him again. His visit remained a mystery.


Once ‘The Hindu’ published an announcement about a short story contest to be organized by a British periodical named ‘The Encounter’. The author wanted to get an idea of the periodical before he spent a huge sum in postage sending a manuscript to England. He went to the British Council Library. He found there many issues of ‘The Encounter’. He read the editor’s name. It was Stephen Spender—the poet who had visited the Gemini Studios.


Years later, the author was out of Gemini Studios. He had a lot of time but not much money. He saw a pile of brand new books on the footpath in front of the Madras Mount Road Post office. Each book was for fifty paise. Actually, they were copies of the same book—an elegant paperback of American Origin. It was called ‘The God that Failed’. It contained six essays by six eminent men of letters. They described their journeys into communism and their disillusioned return. Stephen Spender was one of them. The same poet who had visited the studio. It cleared the mystery of Spender’s visit to the studios.

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. Describe the make-up room of Gemini Studios.

Ans. It looked like a hair cutting salon, with incandescent lights placed at all angles and around half a dozen mirrors that reflected light. They made the room so hot that the ones whose make-up was done there, were subjected to ‘fiery misery’


Q2. A strict hierarchy was maintained in the make-up department. Explain.

Ans. It was so as each make-up man was allotted his task according to his designation. The chief make-up man attended the chief actors and actresses, his senior assistant the second hero and heroine, the junior assistant the main comedian, the office boy the actors who played the crowd and so forth.


Q3. What does the writer mean by the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up?
Ans. The ‘fiery misery’ of those in the makeup room suggests the discomfort caused by incandescent lights fitted at all angles. All of them when lit emitted so much heat and light that it was torturous for those who were subjected to make up.


Q4. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to in the Gemini Studios?

Ans. In the studio, the people from different regions and religions working together presented a glimpse of national integration. The make-up department was first headed by a Bengali. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. He was assisted by a Kannadiga from Dharwar and Andhra, Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and usual local Tamils. All this shows that there was a great deal of national integration in the makeup room of the Gemini Studios


Q5. What work did the ‘Office Boy’ do in the Gemini Studio?


Ans. It was the duty of the ‘office boy’ to do the make-up of the crowd players at Gemini studio. He mixed his paint in a big container and slapped it on the crowd players.


Q6. Why was the office boy frustrated?

Ans. The office boy had joined Gemini Studios in the hope of becoming a star actor, a top screenwriter, a director or a lyricist. He was frustrated as his dreams remained unfulfilled as he remained merely an office boy.


Q7. why did the office boy come to the author? Why was the author praying for crowd shooting?
Ans. Since the author was wrongly believed to have no work to do, the office boy often came to his cubicle to give vent to his frustration and impress upon him that a great talent remained untapped and was being wasted. Since the author was bored with the office –boy’s never-ending babble, he prayed for crowd shooting so that the boy would be busy in painting the crowd and would not pester him.


Q8. What advantage did the office boy think Subbu had?


Ans. Subbu, in no way, was superior to the office boy in talent or education. It was by the dint of his birth in a Brahmin family that he got a lead over him. His ‘birth” helped him get better openings, opportunities, and exposure. Thus he had an edge over the office boy.


Q9. What explanation does the author offer for Subbu having enemies?

Ans. The author suggests that it might be because of his intimacy with the Boss or because his general demeanor resembled that of a sycophant. It may have been due to his readiness to say nice things about everything.


Q10. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at Gemini Studios?

Ans. The author appeared to be doing nothing as his job was to gather relevant newspaper clippings. Throughout the day he could be seen tearing up newspapers sitting at his desk. This made others feel that he had very little to do.


Q11. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?
Ans. The legal advisor recorded the tirade of a temperamental actress bringing her career to an end. That’s why he was referred to as the opposite by others.


Q12. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?

Ans. While every other member of the Department wore a kind of uniform – khaki dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt – the legal adviser wore pants and a tie and sometimes a coat that looked like a coat of mail. Often he looked alone and helpless – a man of cold logic in a crowd of dreamers – a neutral man in an assembly of Gandhiites and khadi items.


Q13. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?

Ans. Most of the people at Gemini Studios were followers of Gandhiji and wore khadi. Beyond that, they did not have any particular political affiliations. However, they were all against communism.


Q14. What was the opinion of the khadi clad poets of Gemini Studios about Communism?

Ans. They were against Communism as that was the prevailing political notion in South India. A Communist to them was a Godless man, had no filial or conjugal love, could unhesitatingly kill his parents or children and was always out to cause and spread violence and unrest.


Q15. What was the nature of the author’s job at Gemini Studios?


Ans. The author’s job at Gemini Studio was to cut and file paper clippings. Although he performed an insignificant task, he was the most informed of all the members of the Studio. His literary interest is evident from the fact that he participated in a story writing competition organized by the periodical ‘Encounter’ and he purchased the books to read even when he was short of money.


Q16. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studio?

Ans. The people at Gemini Studios could not understand what the Englishman was saying. His accent was also different. It was a very strange thing that an English poet was addressing the audience who were making Tamil films. This caused a lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios.


Q17. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?

Ans. None of the employees of the studio knew the identity of the visitor and his purpose of visiting the studio. Even the speech of the poet was beyond comprehension. They did not know what an English poet was doing in a film studio which made Tamil films for the simplest sort of people who had no taste for English poetry.


Q18. How did the author discover who the English poet was?

Ans. The author wanted to participate in a short story contest organized by a British periodical named ‘The Encounter’. Being unfamiliar with the periodical he went to the British Council Library to find out about the same and discovered that the editor was none other than Stephen Spender.


Q19. Why was the English poet who visited the Gemini Studios as baffled as to his audience?

Ans. The poet Stephen Spender was baffled, as he could comprehend that his audience was unable to understand him. The audience was also baffled as the poet’s accent defeated comprehension and they had no idea as to why the English poet had been invited to address an audience that had nothing to do with English poetry.


Q20. Why did Stephen Spender visit Gemini Studios?
Ans. Stephen Spender was an anti-Communist like the people at Gemini Studios. He had been invited to talk about his journey into Communism and his disillusioned return.


Q21. What does ‘The God That Failed’ refer to?


Ans. ‘The God That Failed’ is a book of six essays by six eminent men of letters that describe their journey to communism and disillusioned return. Stephen Spender was one of the authors.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. Give a pen-portrait of the ‘office-boy’ highlighting his aspirations, odd jobs, and disillusionment.

Ans. The ‘office-boy’ wasn’t exactly a ‘boy’; he was in his early forties. He had entered the studios years ago. He had hoped to become a star actor, a top screenwriter, director or lyrics writer. At present, he had to slap paint on the faces of the players who played the crowd. He closed every pore on the surface of the face by applying make-up. He felt dissatisfied and disillusioned. He considered the make-up department fit only for barbers and perverts. He felt frustrated that his great literary talent was being allowed to go waste. He was a bit of a poet too. He had got good formal education and had an encouraging opening in films. However, in spite of his start, he did not advance an inch from his position as ‘office-boy’. He has shades of universal characters. He is a typical specimen representing the youth lured by glitter and glamour of films, struggling hard to make a name and then doomed to frustration.


Q2. How would you describe Subbu a troubleshooter or a sycophant?

Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. Though officially on the rolls of the Story Department, he was always with the Boss. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times. His sense of loyalty made him identify himself with his principal completely. He turned his entire creativity to his advantage. He was tailor-made for films. Film making was quite easy with Subbu around. He could suggest many alternatives to baffled producers. He could be inspired when commanded. He had a literary bent of mind too. He was a poet and had composed several original ‘story poems’. He had also written a novel. His success in films overshadowed and dwarfed his literary achievements. He was an amazing actor also but confined himself to playing supporting roles. He loved whosoever he met. He was charitable and improvident and played permanent host to dozens of persons. His success was envied by frustrated people like the ‘office-boy’.


Q3 Narrate the incident in which the legal adviser was instrumental in causing the end of a brief and brilliant acting career.
Ans. Gemini Studios had an extremely talented actress. She was also extremely temperamental. Once she blew over on the sets and gave vent to her feelings against the producer. Everybody was stunned. The lawyer quietly switched on the recording equipment. When the actress paused for breath, the lawyer played back the recording. There was nothing incriminating or unmentionably foul in the actress’s tirade against the producer. But she was struck dumb on hearing her voice again through the sound equipment. She was a girl from the countryside and raw and immature at worldly affairs. She lacked worldly experience and sophistication that persons in the position of importance generally acquire. The result was that she never quite recovered from the terror she felt that day. This is how a brief and brilliant acting career had unwittingly been brought to a sad end by the legal adviser.


Q4. Narrate how the Moral Re-Armament army was welcomed at the Gemini Studio. What impact did the MRA-have on people of Madras in general and those at Gemini Studios in particular?

Ans. The staff of Gemini Studios had a nice time hosting two hundred strong Moral Re-Armament army led by Frank Buchman. In fact, MRA could not have found a warmer host in India than the Gemini Studios. They presented two plays—‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’ in a most professional manner. The message of the plays was usually plain and simple homilies, but the sets and costumes were the first rates. These plays ran several shows in Madras. The citizens of the city and Gemini family of 600 saw the plays over and over again.


For some years, almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and sunset in the manner of ‘Jotham Valley’ with a bare stage, a white background curtain and a tune played on the flute. This was the impact of the plays staged by the MRA on Madras in general and the Tamil drama community in particular.


Q5. “In a moment I felt a dark chamber of my mind lit up by a hazy illumination.” Which incident is being referred to by the author, Asokamitran? What conclusion does he arrive at?

Ans. An English poet (or editor) had been invited to Gemini Studios. He addressed a dazed and silent audience for an hour about the thrills and travails of an English poet. His accent defeated any attempt to understand what he was saying. The audience felt baffled—what was an English poet doing in a studio making Tamil films? His visit remained an unexplained mystery. Years later, the author read the editor’s name in the magazine ‘The Encounter’. He also came across copies of ‘The God that Failed’—a collection of six essays against communism. One of the six contributors was Stephen Spender. He was the poet that came to Gemini Studios. Suddenly the book assumed tremendous significance. The dark chambers of his mind were illuminated. The reaction to Stephen Spender at Gemini Studios was no longer a mystery. The Boss may not be concerned with Spender’s poetry, but he was aware of the god that failed.