top of page

Poets and Pancakes Part 1

Behind the Scenes at Gemini Studios: A Journey Through Cinema, Culture, and Creativity


Subramaniam Srinivasan, Proprietor of Gemini Pictures
Subramaniam Srinivasan, Proprietor of Gemini Pictures
Critical Analysis of Poets and Pancakes by Asokamitran

Introduction and Context: "Poets and Pancakes" is an excerpt from My Years with the Boss by Tamil writer Asokamitran, who worked for Gemini Studios, one of India’s largest film studios in the 1940s and 1950s. The essay blends personal anecdotes with sharp, humorous observations about life at the studio. Through its satirical lens, it reflects on the trivialities and contradictions of the film world, using the make-up department and interactions with literary figures to subtly explore larger themes like national identity, the role of art in society, and the absurdities of bureaucracy.

Humor and Satire: The essay is steeped in irony and satire, especially when it describes the daily operations of the Gemini Studios. For instance, Asokamitran highlights the absurdity of the make-up department by detailing how truckloads of "Pancake" make-up were used to turn actors "ugly" so they would look "presentable" on screen. The detailed description of the hierarchy within the make-up department — from the chief make-up artist to the office boy slapping paint on the crowd — exposes the often farcical seriousness with which mundane tasks were carried out.

This comical hierarchy serves as a metaphor for the rigid social and professional structures that permeated Indian society and workplace culture at the time. The office boy’s thwarted dreams of becoming a star or screenwriter reflect the stifling environment where creative aspirations were crushed by systemic norms and individual frustrations.

Theme of National Integration: The make-up department, with its employees from various regions of India (Bengali, Maharashtrian, Kannadiga, etc.), serves as an interesting, if tongue-in-cheek, example of "national integration." Asokamitran notes this diversity predates efforts by organizations like All India Radio (A.I.R.) and Doordarshan to promote national unity. The narrator uses this setting to comment on the complexity of Indian identity and unity, achieved not through lofty idealism but through the everyday, mundane interactions in a workplace.

Kothamangalam Subbu and the Creative Process: Kothamangalam Subbu, the No. 2 figure at Gemini Studios, serves as an embodiment of creative genius and sycophancy. While Subbu is praised for his ability to create numerous story ideas at a moment’s notice, the narrator’s portrayal of him is ambivalent. Subbu is a man who "could be inspired when commanded," indicating that his creativity was subservient to the demands of the film industry and the whims of the Boss. This raises questions about the nature of artistic creation: Is true creativity compromised when it is molded for commercial success?

Subbu’s story poems and novel Thillana Mohanambal reflect his ability to connect with the masses, yet his literary achievements are often overshadowed by his success in the film industry. This duality, where artistic merit is often eclipsed by commercial fame, is a subtle critique of the entertainment world and its values.

The Encounter with Stephen Spender: A significant portion of the essay focuses on the visit of Stephen Spender, a British poet and editor of the literary magazine Encounter, to Gemini Studios. The staff, unfamiliar with contemporary English poets, struggle to make sense of his visit. The narrator humorously points out the incongruity of Spender speaking about poetry to an audience more accustomed to making Tamil films for the masses. The absurdity of the situation is heightened by the fact that no one, including the Boss, seems to understand Spender’s accent or what he is saying.

This episode serves as a critique of the disconnect between high art and mass culture. Spender, a symbol of Western literary elitism, seems out of place in a studio producing films for a largely uneducated audience. The episode also underscores the ignorance and provincialism of the studio staff, who associate English poetry only with canonical figures like Wordsworth and Tennyson, revealing a limited understanding of the global literary scene.

The narrator's eventual discovery of Spender’s work in The God That Failed provides a moment of personal epiphany. The book, which discusses the disillusionment of intellectuals with Communism, sheds light on why Spender’s presence was so baffling to the Gemini staff. The political undertones of Spender’s work, especially his critique of Communism, clash with the vaguely socialist, Gandhi-inspired ethos of Gemini Studios.

Critique of Bureaucracy and Cultural Misunderstanding: Through its various anecdotes, the essay critiques the inefficiency and absurdity of bureaucratic functioning within Gemini Studios. For instance, the office boy’s misplaced literary ambitions, the legal advisor’s baffling role in the actress’s career downfall, and the grand but awkward reception for Stephen Spender all highlight the studio’s chaotic and often misguided operations. These examples reflect the broader theme of cultural misunderstanding, where people from different intellectual and social backgrounds struggle to communicate effectively.

Conclusion: "Poets and Pancakes" is a witty, layered critique of the Indian film industry, bureaucracy, and the cultural landscape of the mid-20th century. Asokamitran's humorous but insightful observations offer a lens into the paradoxes of creativity, identity, and cultural misunderstanding in a rapidly changing world. While seemingly light-hearted, the essay also touches on deeper issues, such as the tension between art and commerce, the complexities of national integration, and the role of literature in a society dominated by mass entertainment.


 

Greta Garbo
1. Greta Garbo Greta Garbo was a legendary Swedish-American actress known for her work during Hollywood's silent and classical cinema eras. She is mentioned humorously as one of the celebrities who might have used the makeup brand "Pancake." Garbo’s inclusion adds a glamorous, international touch to the otherwise very local and mundane world of Gemini Studios.

 
2. Miss Gohar [Gohar Mamajiwala] Miss Gohar was an Indian actress of the early 20th century, well-known for her performances in both silent and talkie films. Like Garbo, she is used as an example of a film star who might have used Pancake make-up. She represents the Indian film industry’s early stars.
2. Miss Gohar [Gohar Mamajiwala] Miss Gohar was an Indian actress of the early 20th century, well-known for her performances in both silent and talkie films. Like Garbo, she is used as an example of a film star who might have used Pancake make-up. She represents the Indian film industry’s early stars.

 





4. Rati Agnihotri, Rati Agnihotri is a well-known Indian film actress who rose to fame in the 1980s. Asokamitran humorously mentions that Rati Agnihotri "may not have even heard of" Pancake, indicating a generational shift in the use of makeup or its significance in later years.
4. Rati Agnihotri, Rati Agnihotri is a well-known Indian film actress who rose to fame in the 1980s. Asokamitran humorously mentions that Rati Agnihotri "may not have even heard of" Pancake, indicating a generational shift in the use of makeup or its significance in later years.

 


5. Robert Clive, Robert Clive, also known as Clive of India, was a British officer and colonial administrator in India during the 18th century. The building that housed Gemini Studios’ make-up department was believed to have once been his stables. His brief mention, along with his supposed numerous residences in Madras (Chennai), adds a historical note to the description of Gemini Studios, connecting India’s colonial past with its evolving film industry.
5. Robert Clive, Robert Clive, also known as Clive of India, was a British officer and colonial administrator in India during the 18th century. The building that housed Gemini Studios’ make-up department was believed to have once been his stables. His brief mention, along with his supposed numerous residences in Madras (Chennai), adds a historical note to the description of Gemini Studios, connecting India’s colonial past with its evolving film industry.

 


6. Kothamangalam Subbu, Kothamangalam Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios, a multi-talented personality who excelled in various roles, including acting, writing, and filmmaking. Subbu is portrayed as a man whose creativity was indispensable to Gemini Studios. He could come up with multiple ideas on demand, and his success in films was immense. However, his loyalty to the Boss, his sycophantic behavior, and his closeness to power attracted resentment, especially from the make-up department office boy.
6. Kothamangalam Subbu, Kothamangalam Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios, a multi-talented personality who excelled in various roles, including acting, writing, and filmmaking. Subbu is portrayed as a man whose creativity was indispensable to Gemini Studios. He could come up with multiple ideas on demand, and his success in films was immense. However, his loyalty to the Boss, his sycophantic behavior, and his closeness to power attracted resentment, especially from the make-up department office boy.

7. The Office Boy[On the left], The office boy in the make-up department was a man in his forties who aspired to become a star actor, screenwriter, or director, but ended up applying makeup to crowd actors. He represents the unfulfilled ambitions of many in the film industry. He is portrayed as someone who resented Kothamangalam Subbu, blaming him for his own lack of success. Despite his lowly position, he is characterized as having literary ambitions and was prone to giving long-winded lectures to the narrator.
7. The Office Boy[On the left], The office boy in the make-up department was a man in his forties who aspired to become a star actor, screenwriter, or director, but ended up applying makeup to crowd actors. He represents the unfulfilled ambitions of many in the film industry. He is portrayed as someone who resented Kothamangalam Subbu, blaming him for his own lack of success. Despite his lowly position, he is characterized as having literary ambitions and was prone to giving long-winded lectures to the narrator.

 


8. The Boss (S.S. Vasan), The Boss of Gemini Studios, though not directly named in the excerpt, is S.S. Vasan, the founder of the studio. He is portrayed as an influential and somewhat enigmatic figure who had the final say in everything. He seems to be both a creative force and a bureaucratic presence, hosting dignitaries and running the studio in a very top-down manner. Vasan was also the editor of the popular Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan, and his dual roles as editor and studio head further cemented his status as a cultural powerhouse in Madras.
8. The Boss (S.S. Vasan), The Boss of Gemini Studios, though not directly named in the excerpt, is S.S. Vasan, the founder of the studio. He is portrayed as an influential and somewhat enigmatic figure who had the final say in everything. He seems to be both a creative force and a bureaucratic presence, hosting dignitaries and running the studio in a very top-down manner. Vasan was also the editor of the popular Tamil weekly Ananda Vikatan, and his dual roles as editor and studio head further cemented his status as a cultural powerhouse in Madras.

 

9. The Legal Advisor, The legal advisor at Gemini Studios is depicted as an incongruous figure in a crowd of poets, writers, and dreamers. He is known for inadvertently ending an actress’s career by recording her angry tirade and playing it back to her, which left her in terror. Although his primary job was to provide legal counsel, he is ironically referred to as "the opposite." The advisor was also involved in film production, but without much success.
9. The Legal Advisor, The legal advisor at Gemini Studios is depicted as an incongruous figure in a crowd of poets, writers, and dreamers. He is known for inadvertently ending an actress’s career by recording her angry tirade and playing it back to her, which left her in terror. Although his primary job was to provide legal counsel, he is ironically referred to as "the opposite." The advisor was also involved in film production, but without much success.

 
10. S.D.S. Yogiar, S.D.S. Yogiar was a Tamil poet who, along with other poets like Sangu Subramanyam and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, was a frequent visitor to Gemini Studios. These poets often congregated in the studio’s mess, enjoying the leisurely atmosphere. Yogiar's mention highlights the studio’s role as a cultural hub where literary figures and creative minds met.
10. S.D.S. Yogiar, S.D.S. Yogiar was a Tamil poet who, along with other poets like Sangu Subramanyam and Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, was a frequent visitor to Gemini Studios. These poets often congregated in the studio’s mess, enjoying the leisurely atmosphere. Yogiar's mention highlights the studio’s role as a cultural hub where literary figures and creative minds met.
 


11. Sangu Subramanyam, Sangu Subramanyam was another poet mentioned in the essay as part of the Gemini Studios literary set. Like the other poets, he contributes to the humorous portrayal of the studio as a place where poets mingled but had little real understanding of politics or the wider world, particularly Communism.
11. Sangu Subramanyam, Sangu Subramanyam was another poet mentioned in the essay as part of the Gemini Studios literary set. Like the other poets, he contributes to the humorous portrayal of the studio as a place where poets mingled but had little real understanding of politics or the wider world, particularly Communism.

 

12. Krishna Sastry, Krishna Sastry is mentioned along with the other poets who frequented Gemini Studios. He represents the various intellectuals and literary figures who orbited around the film world without necessarily contributing much to its cinematic output. Their discussions over coffee were more about leisure and Gandhi than serious political or artistic engagement.
12. Krishna Sastry, Krishna Sastry is mentioned along with the other poets who frequented Gemini Studios. He represents the various intellectuals and literary figures who orbited around the film world without necessarily contributing much to its cinematic output. Their discussions over coffee were more about leisure and Gandhi than serious political or artistic engagement.

 

13. Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, Harindranath Chattopadhyaya was a well-known poet, playwright, and actor from India. His inclusion alongside other poets who visited the studio shows that Gemini was not just a space for filmmakers but also a haven for literary figures. Chattopadhyaya’s multi-faceted career mirrored the creative diversity present at Gemini Studios.
13. Harindranath Chattopadhyaya, Harindranath Chattopadhyaya was a well-known poet, playwright, and actor from India. His inclusion alongside other poets who visited the studio shows that Gemini was not just a space for filmmakers but also a haven for literary figures. Chattopadhyaya’s multi-faceted career mirrored the creative diversity present at Gemini Studios.
 

14. Frank Buchman. Frank Buchman was the founder of the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement, which sought to promote moral and spiritual renewal. His army of MRA members visited Gemini Studios, putting on performances that impressed the studio staff. Buchman’s MRA was seen as a counter to Communism, and its influence, albeit humorous and misunderstood by the Gemini staff, represents a moment of global cultural intersection at the studio.
14. Frank Buchman. Frank Buchman was the founder of the Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement, which sought to promote moral and spiritual renewal. His army of MRA members visited Gemini Studios, putting on performances that impressed the studio staff. Buchman’s MRA was seen as a counter to Communism, and its influence, albeit humorous and misunderstood by the Gemini staff, represents a moment of global cultural intersection at the studio.
 



15. Stephen Spender Stephen Spender, the English poet and editor of the literary magazine Encounter, visited Gemini Studios, and his visit was met with confusion. The staff, more familiar with poets like Wordsworth, Shelley, and Byron, had little knowledge of contemporary figures like Spender. His speech, delivered in an accent no one understood, and his presence in a Tamil film studio created an odd juxtaposition of highbrow English literature and mass-market cinema. Spender’s later work, The God That Failed, was about disillusionment with Communism, and it brought retrospective clarity to his visit for the narrator.
15. Stephen Spender Stephen Spender, the English poet and editor of the literary magazine Encounter, visited Gemini Studios, and his visit was met with confusion. The staff, more familiar with poets like Wordsworth, Shelley, and Byron, had little knowledge of contemporary figures like Spender. His speech, delivered in an accent no one understood, and his presence in a Tamil film studio created an odd juxtaposition of highbrow English literature and mass-market cinema. Spender’s later work, The God That Failed, was about disillusionment with Communism, and it brought retrospective clarity to his visit for the narrator.

 
Conclusion:

The diverse range of characters in this extract—actors, poets, filmmakers, and bureaucrats—illustrates the eclectic, sometimes absurd, world of Gemini Studios. Each person serves a role in Asokamitran’s humorous yet critical portrayal of a film industry that intersected with literature, politics, and global ideas in surprising ways.


More details Tamil Writer Asokamitran at the book launch function of Pavithra Srinivasan's translation of Kalki's Sivakamiyin Sabadham at Chennai
More details Tamil Writer Asokamitran at the book launch function of Pavithra Srinivasan's translation of Kalki's Sivakamiyin Sabadham at Chennai

 


Poets and Pancakes Part 1
bottom of page