Updated on 08/06/2026
6. Poets and Pancakes (Ashokamitran)
Main Points of the chapter:
The Tamil writer Ashokamitran was a part of the Gemini Studios (Chennai) which was set up in 1940 and its founder was SS Vasan (The Boss).
In his book ‘My years with Boss’, the writer describes the working culture of the Studios.
Ashokamitran worked in a small cubicle (room) and his duty was to take out newspaper cuttings and store them in files.
Since he was always tearing up newspapers, most people in the studio thought he did no work.
He describes the make-up department of the Gemini Studios.
This department was in the upstairs of a building, which was once Robert Clive’s stable.
The department had the look of a hair cutting salon.
There were incandescent lights at all angles around half a dozen large mirrors.
Pancake was the brand name of the make-up material that the Gemini Studios bought in truck loads.
Heavy make-up was used for the actors.
Those were the days of mainly indoor shooting; only five percent of the film was shot outdoors.
The chief make-up man made the chief actors and actresses ‘ugly’.
His senior assistant did the make-up of the second hero and heroine.
The junior assistant handled the main comedian.
The players who played the crowd were the responsibility of the office-boy.
The office-boy was not exactly a boy. He was in his early forties. He came here to become a star actor, a top screen writer, director or lyrics writer.
He blamed Kothamangalam Subbu for all his failures
Kothamangalam Subbu was the No. 2 at the Gemini Studios. He was a Brahmin. The office boy did not like him.
He was custom-made for films; whenever the Boss faced a creative problem, Subbu would instantly offer multiple solutions. He was also a celebrated poet and novelist who wrote the classic Thillana Mohanambal.
He also described a lawyer who worked in the Story Department. While everyone else wore a uniform of raw khadi dhoti and white kurta, the lawyer wore pants, a tie, and a coat. He was cynical and unintentionally ruined the career of a talented young actress.
Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament Army (MRA), a group of 200 people from 20 nationalities, visited in 1952 and presented two highly acclaimed plays, Jotham Valley and The Forgotten Factor. It was a counter-movement against international Communism.
Later, an English poet named Stephen Spender (editor of The Encounter) visited the studio. His speech baffled the illiterate audience due to his heavy British accent. Years later, the author realized Spender’s true identity through the anti-communist book The God That Failed.
Very Short Type Q-Ans.
1. Who is the author of the story ‘Poets and Pancakes’?
Ans. Ashokamitran
2. What is the name of the studios?
Ans. Gemini studios
3. When was Gemini Studios set up, and who was its founder?
Ans. It was set up in 1940, and its founder was Mr. S.S. Vasan
4. How did the make-up room look?
Ans. Like a hair cutting salon
5. By whom was the make-up department first headed?
Ans. By a Bengali
6. What was pancake?
Ans. It was the brand name of the make-up material
7. Who did the make-up of the main comedian?
Ans. The junior assistant
8. What was the approximate age of the office boy?
Ans. Forty years
9. Who was number 2 at the Gemini Studios?
Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu
10. Who gave direction and definition to Gemini Studios?
Ans. Subbu
11.What was Subbu by caste?
Ans. Brahmin
12.What was the name of the novel written by Subbu?
Ans. Thillana Mohanambal
13.Where did the author work?
Ans. In a cubicle (small room)
14.Which English poet visited the Gemini Studios?
Ans. Stephen Spender
15.How many members did the MRA have?
Ans. 200 members
16.How did someone describe MRA?
Ans. As an International circus
17.What did the MRA present in Madras?
Ans. Two stage plays ‘Jotham Valley’ and ‘The Forgotten Factor’.
18.What was the name of the book that the author bought many years later?
Ans. The God that failed
19.What is ‘The Encounter’?
Ans. A British newspaper
20.What do you mean by ‘The Hindu’?
Ans. An Indian newspaper (in English language)
Textual Questions
1. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up?
Ans. There were several lights in the make-up department. These lights were aglow with heat. Those who went for make-up there, they had to tolerate this heat. So that the narrator calls it ‘fiery misery’.
2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
Ans. There were several workers in the make-up department. They were from different parts of India. There was a Bengali, A Maharashtrian who was assisted by men from Dharward, Andhra Pradesh and from the local families. They belonged to different castes, colours, languages and states. So, the author gave it the name of national integration.
3. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios ?
Ans. The author was an office boy. He was given a small room. His job was to collect newspaper cuttings and arrange them in files. People often saw him near his window. They thought that he didn't do anything.
4. Why was the office boy frustrated ? Who did his anger on?
Ans. The office boy had joined the studio to become an actor, director or top script writer. But he could only become a make-up man. So he was frustrated. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu.
5. Subbu is described as many sided genius. List four of his special abilities.
Ans. Subbu really had many qualities. He always looked cheerful. He could think ideas at the spot very quickly. He wrote some very good stories and poems. He could direct films. He was also a very good actor.
6. Why does the writer say that Subbu was tailor made for films ?
Ans. Subbu had complete knowledge of every aspect of film making. He could think of ideas in no time. He could do everything. Whenever the producer told him about any problem, he could come up with a good solution. So the writer says that Subbu was tailor made for films.
7. Why was the moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the studios?
Ans. It was a sort of cultural movement against communism. They were about 200 in numbers. They wanted to make Gemini people aware of communism. So they were welcomed at Gemini Studios.
8. Who was the Boss of Gemini Studios. ?
Ans. Mr. SS Vasan was the boss of Gemini Studios. He was also the editor of the popular Tamil weekly, ‘Ananda Vikatan’.
Long-Answer
1. Give a brief description of the make-up room of the Gemini Studios.
OR
Describe the make up department of Gemini Studio.
Ans. The make-up room of the Gemini Studios was in the upstairs of a building. It looked like a hair cutting salon. It had big lights and half a dozen large mirrors. There were incandescent lights at every angle. Thus those who came there for make-up had to beat a lot of heat. The make-up department was headed by Maharastrian. He was assisted by men from different states and communities. Thus there was a great national integration. The chief make-up man attended to the chief actors and actresses. The senior assistant looked to the ‘second’ hero and heroine. The junior assistant dealt with the main comedian. The players who played the crowd were the responsibility of the ‘office boy’. He would mix material in a giant vessel and paste it on the crowd players.
2.Why was Kothamnaglam Subbu considered No. 2 in the Gemini Studios?
Ans. Subbu had many qualities. First of all he was a Brahmin. He looked cheerful all the time. He used to give directions to everybody. He was very loyal to his boss. He used all his creativity to please the boss. He was a tailor made for films. Gemini Studios had its golden period due to Subbu. He could write both prose and poetry. He could direct, act and compose. He also directed some films for the studio ‘Thillana Mohanambalam’ novel written by Subbu proved a classic. Moreover Subbu was very charitable by nature. He had the quality to make right the wrong and wrong the right. He was also the legal adviser for the boss. All others wore Khadi Kurta-Payjamas but Subbu wore pants-coats. Due to all these qualities, he was considered No. 2 in the Gemini Studios.
Important Spellings
Ashokamitran
Incandescent (तेज रोशनी)
Hierarchy (ऊंच-नीच का क्रम)
Cubicle (छोटा केबिन)
Integration (एकीकरण / राष्ट्रीय एकता)
Frustration (हताशा / निराशा)
Kothamangalam Subbu
Ingenuity (सरलता / बुद्धिमत्ता)
Chamber (कक्ष / विभाग)
Catastrophe (तबाही / बड़ी विपत्ति)
Cynical (शंकालु / कुटिल)
Thillana Mohanambal (सुब्बू के उपन्यास का नाम)
Buchman (MRA के संस्थापक Frank Buchman)
Re-Armament (पुनर्शस्त्रीकरण)
Homogeneity (एकरूपता / समानता)
Baffled (पूरी तरह चकित)
Stephen Spender (अंग्रेज कवि का नाम)
Encounter (ब्रिटिश पत्रिका का नाम)
Communism (साम्यवाद)