Poets and Pancakes

• Blew Over: Make a long, vehement critique or accusation speech.
• Was Struck Dumb: Become mute as a result of surprise or shock.
• Catapulted into: To launch or send forth.
• A Coat of Mail: Chain mail, interconnected rings, or overlapping metal plates used to create an armoured coat.
• Played Into Their Hands: To act or behave in a way that benefits someone else (an opponent).
• The favorite Haunt: A popular tourist destination.
• Heard a Bell Ringing: Affecting an often hazy memory.

The actors in the make-up room were very uncomfortable due to the heat produced by the lights in the make-up room. As a result, this pain is mentioned by the author. Trouble is described as a state of ‘flaming misery.’

The make-up branch of Gemini Studios was an example of national integration. This is because people from many areas and religious groups worked together in the same department, according to the author. A Bengali led the department until he was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. A Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese, and local Tamils were among the other aids.

The office boy applies make-up to the players who acted in front of the audience. He mixed his paint in a large pot on crowd shooting days and applied it fast and noisily on the players’ faces. He had gone to the studios hoping to become a famous actor, screenwriter, director, or lyricist. He was dissatisfied because he had failed and remained a ‘boy.’

The author’s job entailed cutting out newspaper clippings on a wide range of topics and filing them away. Many of these have to be scribbled by hand. Onlookers saw him simply ripping up newspapers. As a result, he appeared to be doing nothing to them.

Despite having a nice opening, the office boy was disappointed because he was still only an office boy. He had received a decent education and would also write poetry. His immense writing gift, on the other hand, was being squandered. He vented his rage on Gemini Studios’ No. 2 Kothamangalam Subbu.

Subbu’s principal was Mr S.S Vasan, the founder of Gemini Studios.

Subbu possessed four unique abilities:

1. Subbu could maintain a pleasant demeanour at all times.
2. His sense of commitment led him to devote all of his talents to his principal’s benefit: filmmaking was a breeze with Subbu around.
3. He was also a poet and novelist. He was a fantastic actor.
4. He was a generous and loving person.

The lawyer worked in the Story Division. Officially, he was referred to as the legal adviser. His acts, on the other hand, did no one any good. He had accidentally put a bright young actress’s career on hold. As a result, he was dubbed “the polar opposite” by others.

He stood out from the crowd because of his lawyer’s attire. He wore a trouser, a tie, and a coat on occasion. Others dressed in a khadi dhoti with a badly fitted white khaki shirt, which appeared to be everyone’s uniform.

The Moral Rearmament Army was a sort of anti-communist counter-movement. Mr Vasan and the other Madras Big Bosses simply played into their hands. As a result, the Moral Rearmament Army was warmly received at Gemini Studios.

The MRA’s productions had a significant impact on the Madras and Tamil drama communities. For a few years, practically all Tamil plays featured a sunrise and sunset scenario in the style of ‘Jotham Valley,’ complete with a bare stage, a white background curtain, and a flute song.

The majority of the 600 or so people at Gemini Studios spoke Tamil. The Englishman addressed them in his native tongue. He spoke with an unusual accent. As a result, there was a communication gap between the Englishman and those who couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Because no one could figure out whether the Englishman was a poet or an editor, his visit to the Gemini Studios is referred to as an unexplained enigma. Furthermore, no one in the studio understood what he was trying to say because his accent was too thick for them to understand.

Stephen Spender, an Englishman, paid a visit to the Gemini Studios. He was the editor of The Encounter, a British periodical, as well as a well-known twentieth-century English poet, essayist, and novelist.

Before spending money on a short story contest sponsored by the English periodical The Encounter, the author did some research on the publication. He went to the British Council Library, where he discovered that Stephen Spender, the poet who had earlier visited the studio, was the editor of that journal.

Six famous writers, including Andre Gide, Richard Wright, Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler, Louis Fischer, and Stephen Spender, contributed six articles to ‘The God That Failed.’ The authors of each piece discussed “their adventures into Communism and their disillusioned return” in their unique essays.

The author’s use of comedy highlights the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies without making any direct or unpleasant remarks about anyone. For example, the author depicts make-up artists and the use of pancakes in an intriguing manner. Even Subbu’s caricature is amusing. It’s interesting how he attempts to help his principal by suggesting quick solutions to his difficulties. Another example is the situation in which a legal adviser mistakenly puts an actress’s career on hold. The author has injected light humour into the dissatisfaction of the office boy, the shallow praising of Gandhi, hate of Communism, and the “mystery” surrounding Stephen Spender.

In English with a typical provincial accent, the English poet addressed the Tamil audience at Gemini Studios. He was speaking to a disoriented and silent audience about the joys and sorrows of being an English poet. This was an oddity because his listeners had no idea what he was saying.

(i) Filmmaking has Become More Technical: While outdoor shooting used to account for only 5% of all shootings, it now accounts for a much larger percentage. Improved cameras and technology allow for diversified presentation. Make-up quality has evolved dramatically from the days of only pancake. Everyone in production is now an expert in their field.

(ii) Poetry and films: Poetry and movies are intertwined in India. Employees at Gemini Studios claimed poetic abilities due to their leisurely life, though they lacked education. Films, unlike poetry, can be enjoyed by people without the financial means to nurture a passion for literature.

(iii) Humour and Criticism: The narrative is peppered with subtle humour. Amusing incidents make observations about human behaviour. Humorous tales attract readers and viewers by breaking the monotony of life. Hilarious criticism is more effective, hence writers include humour alongside scathing comments.