Poets and Pancakes

INTRODUCTION: Gemini Studios of Madras (Chennai) and its founder, S.S. Vasan
lentsubstance and quality to a fragile and unpredictable movie business. Poet and Pancakes,
an excerpt from the book “My Years with Boss” brings to life, the leading members, their
talents and roles, their frustrations and ambitions. It gives a panoramic view of the impact and
affiliations of those parts of Gemini Studios with regard to Independent India in its infancy,
communism and its counter productive anti-communism.
TITLE OF THE LESSON: The title ‘Poet and Pancakes’ is both interesting and amusing.It
arouses the curiosity of the reader because there seems to be no connection between the two
words poets and pancakes. But as the reader reads the lessons, he discovers that there is a
subtle and humorous link between the two words. The two words joined together in a
humourous way indicate that the content of the lesson are going to be humourous. By
describing the follies (the trait of acting stupidly) and distinctive (typical) and peculiar
personalities of the characters to an individual, the writer justifies the title.
Gist of the lesson
The Gemini studio was located in Madras(Chennai)
The writer recounts his years in the company
The make-up department was in the upstairs of a building that was believed to have been
Robert Clive’s stables.
Pancake was the brand name of the make-up material used by the artists in Gemini studios.
The make-up room had the look of a hair-cutting salon with incandescent lights at all
angles around half a dozen large mirrors, writer speaks about the ‘fiery misery’ ‘of those
subjected to make-up.
There was a great deal of ‘national integration’ in the department and a strict hierarchy was
maintained there.
The players who played the crowd were the responsibility of the ‘office boy’ in his early
forties, a frustrated person, who turned all his anger towards Kothamanagalam Subbu.
The author’s job was to cut out newspaper clippings and store them in files.
Most people including the ‘boy’ thought author was doing ‘next to nothing’.
S.S. Vasan (editor of Tamil weekly AnanadaVikatan’) was the owner of the studios. Subbu
was No.2.
Subbu-a Brahmin, had the ability to look cheerful at all times, could be ‘inspired when
commanded’, was tailor –made for films, had a separate identity as a poet and actor, had
genuine love for others, was charitable, always seen with The Boss, attached to Story
Department.
Story Department-assembly of poets and writers, wore khadi
A lawyer(legal adviser) -referred to as ‘the opposite’-caused the end of a brief and brilliant
career of a talented actress, looked ‘alone and helpless’, man of cold logic in a crowd of
dreamers, close to the Boss, wore pants, coat and a tie, attached to Story Department, lost his
job when the Story Department was closed down.
Gemini studios –favorite haunt of poets, excellent mess which supplied good coffee,
Congress rule meant prohibition, almost everyone radiated leisure, wore Khadi and
worshipped Gandhi, averse to Communism.
 Visit of MRA (a kind of counter movement to international Communism) in 1952-
presented two plays ‘The Forgotten Factor’ and ‘Jotham Valley’ in a professional manner,
impressed Madras and Tamil drama community
Another visitor-a poet from England, tall man, very English, addressed ‘a more dazed and
silent audience’, visit remained an unexplained mystery, staff did not know whether he was a
poet or an editor
Author’s conviction about prose-writers–‘prose writing is for the patient, persistent,
persevering drudge’, short story contest by a British periodical ‘The Encounter’-found in the
British Council Library almost ‘untouched by readers’, discovered Stephen Spender was the
editor
Author bought ‘The God That Failed’ years later–six essays describing the disillusionment
of six eminent men of letters with Communism, Stephen Spender one among them, author
suddenly realized the relevance of his visit to Gemini studios.
BRIEF INTRODUCTION OF GEMINI STUDIOS (CHARACTERS AND PLACE)
Gemini Studios: Gemini Studios was one of India’s pioneer movie factories. Situated in the
present day Chennai, owned by S.S. Vaasan and worked by over 600 staff, the GS made
movies for Tamilnadu and other southern Indian states. Pancake was the makeup material
used by the GS.
The Office Boy: Office Boy was a grown up man in the Makeup Department of the GS. He
was an incharge of the crowd make-up. He applied pancake on their faces with the help of a
dipped paint brush. Though his job was quite an easy one, the office boy considered himself
to be a greatly skilled artist.
Asokamitran: Asokamitran was one of the staff whose job was to collect information such as
news events from newspapers and magazines and to paste them in files. The other staff
considered his job out of place and most of them thought so high of themselves. Here are
some of the interesting staffs of GS.
Kothamangalam Subbu: Kothamangalam Subbu was another clerk. He was not as educated,
as fortunate and as supported by as the Office Boy, yet he reached the top of the GS. 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. Though he was able to write more complicated ones that could raise
him to the status of a great poet, Subbu preferred writing them in simple Tamil to enlighten
the majority of Tamil people. The world of his time and later never recognized Subbu as a
poet yet he was a great unknown poet. Besides, he supported his far and near relatives. But he
had only enemies everywhere because he was very much close to the boss, Vaasan.
Legal Advisor: The legal advisor worked in the Story Department. He was a lawyer and
provided legal advices to the writers yet he was known as the illegal advisor. The following
incident is one reason that gave him that name. Once a 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 the end of a rising actress.
Poets and writers: 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 Vaasan’s money and time. They believed Gandhiji to be the last word of
politics and had developed an aversion to Communism.
Communism and MRA: 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 Capitalistic countries such as America.
MRA (Moral Rearmament Army) was an international team of actors and actresses that
spread anti Communist feelings throughout the world. The MRA came to Chennai and saw
how influential was Gemini Studios in the south of India. The team got permission from
Vaasan to stage their plays. Vaasan was only happy to give them permission because he
hoped that his staff would get inspiration from the international team. But little did Vaasan
know of their intentions. MRA staged their plays with hidden anti-communist messages and
went away and it was yet after some time that Vaasan realized that he had been fooled.
Stephen Spender: Anyway, Stephen Spender, who was once a prominent communist editor
and poet from England, came 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, exciting and inspiring, but no use because his accent was so terrible that
none of the Gemini staff could clearly understand what Spender had spoken. They fell into
shame for not being able to understand the poet and wished not to meet him again.
Asokamitran’s meeting with Spender: The lesson ends with two incidents in which
Asokamitran, our author, met Spender; not face to face, but in two different ways. While
attempting to send his short story to England to participate in a contest, Asokamitran
happened to read The Encounter, a magazine that had Stephen Spender as its editor. On
another occasion he happened to read the book, the God that Failed, an article by Spender.
Answer the following questions in 30 – 40 Words.
1. How does the writer describe the make-up room of Gemini Studios?
Ans. The make-up room of Gemini Studios looked like a hair cutting salon. It had around half
a dozen mirrors with incandescent lights at all angles around them. The artists would feel the
heat emanating from these lights. Thus, the writer uses the term ‘fiery misery’ to denote the
uncomfortable situation of those subjected to make-up.
2. What was the great deal of national integration that was prevalent in makeup department?
Ans. The make-up division of the GeminiStudios was an example of national integration.
According to theauthor, this is so because people from different regions and religiousgroups
worked together in the same department. The department washeaded by a Bengali who was
Succeeded by a Maharashtrian. Theother helpers included a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra,
a MadrasIndian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the local Tamils.
3. Who was ‘office boy’ and why was he disappointed with his job?
Ans. The ‘office boy’ was enrolled in the make-up department for the makeup of the people
who formed part of crowd in the films. He used to mix his paint in a giant vessel and Slapped
the paint on the faces of the players. He had joined the Gemini Studios years ago, aspiring to
become an actor, or a scriptwriter, or a director, or a lyricist. He was disappointed with the
studio that failed to recognise his talent.
4. What was the common perception of the staff for the author?
Ans. The job of the author was to cut newspaper clippings and file them. For the other
employees, all he seemed to be doing is tearing newspapers, which according to them did not
qualify as work.
5. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
Ans.The office boy had joined the studio years ago in the hope of becoming an actor or a
screenwriter, or a director, or a lyricist. The fact that he ended up becoming none of these left
him frustrated. He used to direct his anger at the author even though it was meant for
Kothamangalam Subbu.
6. How was the legal adviser different from the others in Story department?
Ans. The legal advisor was a part of the story department at the Gemini studios. He wore
pants and a tie and sometimes a coat whereas everyone else in the Story Department wore
similar khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt. Thus, the
lawyer stood out from others at Gemini Studios as if he is a dispassionate man who did not
take sides. Moreover, he was a logical man with no emotional attachment whatsoever.
7. What do we perceive of the political affiliations of people at Gemini Studios?
Ans.The people at Gemini Studios did not have any particular political affiliations. The
common political notions of the day managed to influence them but that was limited to
wearing khadi and admiring the Gandhian philosophy. They were averse to the term
‘Communism’ but had only an erroneous understanding of the concept.
8. Why was the Moral Re-Armament army a welcome change at the Gemini Studios?
Ans. Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army was welcomed at the studio mainly
because of their political association. The people at the Gemini Studios were averse to
Communism, and hence, were ready to play host to the MRA. Apart from that, the studio
people hardly had any occupation and suffered from boredom. The MRA came as a welcome
change to their monotonous days at the studio.Madras and Tamil drama community included
scenes of ‘sunset and sunrise in the manner of Jotham Valley’ in almost all of their plays.
This shows how the plays, staged by MRA, influenced Gemini Studios.
9. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?
Ans. The Englishman's visit to the Gemini Studios is referred to as an unexplained mystery
because no one could decipher his identity, whether he was a poet or an editor. Besides, when
he spoke, no one at the studio understood what he intended to say as his accent was beyond
their comprehension.
10. What does The God that Failed refer to?
Ans. The God That Failed was a compilation of six essays written by six eminent writers,
namely, Andre Gide, Richard Wright, Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler, Louis Fischer and
Stephen Spender. In each of the essays, the respective writers described “their journeys into
Communism and their disillusioned return’.
11. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?
Ans. The make-up room of Gemini Studios looked like a hair cutting salon. It had around half
a dozen mirrors with incandescent lights at all angles around them. The artists would feel the
heat emanating from these lights. Thus, the writer uses the term ‘fiery misery’ to denote the
uncomfortable situation of those subjected to make-up.
12.What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
Ans. The make-up division of the Gemini Studios was an example of national integration.
According to the author, this is so because people from different regions and religious groups
worked together in the same department. The department was headed by a Bengali who was
succeeded by a Maharashtrian. The other helpers included a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra,
a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the local Tamils.
13.Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
Ans. The office boy had joined the studio years ago in the hope of becoming an actor or a
screenwriter, or a director, or a lyricist. The fact that he ended up becoming none of these left
him frustrated. According to him, “great literary talent was being allowed to go waste in a
department fit only for barbers and perverts”. He used to direct his anger at the author even
though it was meant for Kothamangalam Subbu.
14. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.
Ans. Subbu was a multi-disciplinarian. He could provide solutions to problems and remain
cheerful all the time. He was an actor, a poet and a novelist.
15. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?
Ans. The people at Gemini Studios did not have any particular political affiliations. The
common political notions of the day managed to influence them but that was limited to
wearing Khadi and admiring the Gandhian philosophy. They were averse to the term
‘Communism’ but had only an erroneous understanding of the concept.
16. Why was the Moral Re-Armament army welcomed at the studio?
Ans. Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army was welcomed at the studio mainly
because of their political association. The people at the Gemini Studios were averse to
Communism, and hence, were ready to play host to the MRA. Apart from that, the studio
people hardly had any occupation and suffered from boredom. The MRA came as a welcome
change to their monotonous days at the studio.