A great studio stuck in the footage of writer Ashokamitran

Received a strong honor: Chinese Prime Minister Chou En-lai visited the Gemini Studio in Madras on December 5, 1956. |Picture source: Indian Archives

There is nothing in Chennai that can indicate the existence of Gemini Studios, a landmark except the Anna Overpass, which continues to be called Gemini Overpass. The once glorious studio, its owner SS Vasan, has made memorable films, heroes and heroines, and countless workers in the film industry of the previous era continue to live through Ashokamitran’s evocative writings. Karaintha Nizhalkal It’s a novel. My years with my boss It was his experience as a Gemini studio employee. To some extent Karaintha Nizhalkal It’s a fictional version My years with my boss.

The fall of men who once ruled in the wire world and the way the world advances without them is the central theme of both books.

“Vasan must have found himself getting earlier and earlier. ChandralekhaAnd yet, NishanAnd yet, MangalaAshokamitran told Vasan: “The dazzling women, the gorgeous palaces, the galloping horses, the swords and swords on the roads are crisscrossing… Vasan is determined for the next movie.”

The biggest failure

Next movie Raj Tilak There is a great cast: Vyjayanthimala, Padmini, Gemini Ganesan, Pran and Meenakshi. In Tamil Vanjikottai Valiban. “This is the last time Vasan is obsessed with him the second time Chandralekha. Of course, he can’t, because now everyone knows Raj Tilak It is the largest Flop Gemini ever. he wrote.

Gemini Studios, once produced something like Chandralekha and Avvaiyarfaded into oblivion. Vasan is Vasan, and so is he Ananda Vikatantry to maintain the appearance. Ashokamitran wrote the novel after she quit the Gemini Studio, which was bothersome. In the novel, filmmaker Reddiyar also lost his position in the film industry. Yet the age of change proves the cruelty of people like Nataraja Iyer Karaintha Nizhalkal. Reddiyar’s production manager Iyer knew the film world like the back of his hands and ended up begging Sayed bus booths. Ashokamitran will shape the characters of Iyer and others in Gemini Studios’ real life.

Sampath, a character in the novel, tells a heartbreaking statement: “I can’t face him. He’s in pain. His legs are swollen. He says he didn’t go to the hospital. He says he has no money. I feel like I’m crying. What a movie theater. Kilometers away, it takes only 10 paisa to buy Bedis.”

Both books provide insights on the motivation for filmmaking while leaving a window to the Tamil film industry. Ashokamitran Parasakthi. “There are a lot of simultaneity in it; almost every sentence hints at the political and social scenes of Tamil Nadu. The film’s producer Parasakthi “It represents a real threat to the supremacy of Gemini Studios,” he wrote, suggesting Vasan’s failure to adapt to changing cinematic trends and contemporary and socially relevant themes. The film not only had a profound impact on the Tamil cinema world, but also on the political landscape of Tamil Nadu.

Serialize in magazines

Throughout the novel, Ashokamitran’s ability as an Ace-Storyteller is evident, which was first serialized in 1967 in 1967 Deepama literary magazine published by NA. Parthasarathy. The world of cinema he wrote and the characters he filled in in the novel belonged to a period when modernity did not completely make it exist in Tamil filmmaking. Yet even half a century later, the essence of this novel is still contemporary. Film producers, directors, actors, actors, music directors, outdoor unit organizers, and dozens of faceless workers who contribute to today’s filmmaking, similar to the novel’s role.

One scene stands out. After a tough time, Reddiyar visited the house of the heroine Jayachandrika, who failed to show up after putting herself into the film. He changed his tone after throwing abuse at her. “Don’t keep these words in mind. I can say one more thing. I’ve known your mother for 30 years since she came from Vaitheeswarankoil. Maybe, I’m your father. Who knows?” Redial said. These words, like a slap on the face, capture the dark side of the film industry and countless stories about women’s survival in the industry.