Rohit Yadav
Q1. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?
Answer
The heat produced by the lights in the make-up room brought about a lot of discomfort to the actors in the make-up room. Hence the writer refers to this pain and trouble as ‘fiery misery’.
Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?
Answer
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.
Q3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?
Answer
The office boy applies make-up on the players who played the crowd. On the days of crowd shooting, he would mix his paint in a big vessel and apply it quickly and noisily on the faces of the players. He had joined the studios with the hope of becoming a star actor or a screen writer, director or lyrics writer. He was disappointed because he failed and remained only a ‘boy’.
Q4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?
Answer
The author’s duty was to cut out newspaper clippings on a wide variety of subjects and store them in files. Many of these had to be written out in hand. The onlookers noticed him merely tearing up newspapers. Hence to them he seemed to be doing next to nothing.
Q1. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?
Answer
The office boy was frustrated because despite getting a good opening, he remained only an office boy. He had had a good formal education and would write poetry also. But his great literary talent was being allowed to go waste. He showed his anger on Kothamangalam Subbu, the No. 2 at Gemini Studios.
Q2. Who was Subbu’s principal?
Answer
Mr. S.S Vasan, the founder of the Gemini Studios, was Subbu’s principal.
Q3. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.
Answer
Four Special abilities of Subbu:
i) Subbu had the ability to look cheerful at all times.
(ii) His sense of loyalty made him turn his entire creativity to his principal’s advantage: Film-making was quite easy with Subbu around
(iii) He was literary inclined too-a poet and novelist. He was an amazing actor.
(iv) He had a charitable and loving nature.
Q4. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?
Answer
The lawyer was in the Story Department. He was officially known as the legal adviser. However, his actions did nobody any good. He had unwittingly brought to an end the career of a promising young actress. Hence he was referred to as the opposite by others.
Q5. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?
Answer
The lawyer’s dress that he wore made him stand out from the others. He wore a pant, a tie and sometimes a coat also. Others put on a khadi dhoti with a slightly oversized and clumsily tailored white khadi shirt, which looked like everyone’s uniform.
Q1. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?
Answer
Most of the people at Gemini Studios were followers of Gandhiji and wore khadi. Beyond khadi and wearing of khadi they did not have any particular political affiliations. However, they were all against communism.
Q2. Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?
Answer
The Moral Rearmament Army was a kind of counter movement to international communism.
The Big Bosses of Madras like Mr. Vasan simply played into their hands. So the Moral Rearmament Army was welcomed at the Gemini Studios.
Q3. Name one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.
Answer
The plays staged by the MRA greatly influenced Madras and Tamil drama community. For some years almost all Tamil plays had a scene of sunrise and sunset in the manner of ‘Jotham Valley’ with a bare stage, a white background curtain and a tune played on the flute.
Q4. Who was the Boss of Gemini Studios?
Answer
Mr. S.S Vasan was the Boss of Gemini Studios.
Q5. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?
Answer
Most of the 600 odd people at Gemini Studios were Tamil speakers. The Englishman was addressing them in his own language-English. He had a peculiar accent. Hence, there was a lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at who could not follow what he was saying.
Q6. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as unexplained mystery?
Answer
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.
Q1. Who was the English visitor to the studios?
Answer
The English visitor to the Gemini Studios was Stephen Spender. He was the editor of The Encounter, a British Periodical, and a famous English poet, essayist and novelist of the twentieth century.
Q2. How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?
Answer
Before investing money in participating in a short story contest organised by an English periodical The Encounter, the author did a research on the magazine. He went to the British Council Library where, while going through an issue of that periodical, he discovered that its editor was Stephen Spender, the poet that had once visited the studio.
Q3. What does ‘The God that Failed’ refer to?
Answer
‘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”.
Understanding the Text
Q1. The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.
Answer
The instances of humour, used by the author, mark the eccentricities and idiosyncrasies without making any direct and rude comment on anybody. For instance, the author portrays the make-up artists and the usage of the pancakes in an interesting way. Even the caricature of Subbu is hilarious. The way he tries to help his principal by offering quick solutions to his problems is quite amusing. The episode of the legal adviser that inadvertently causes the end of an actress’s career is yet another example. The frustration of the office boy, the superficial praising of Gandhi, hatred of Communism and the ‘mystery’ surrounding Stephen Spender are some of the instances where the author has incorporated gentle humour.
Q2. Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?
Answer
Kothamangalam Subbu succeeded in securing the place closest to The Boss by means of flattery. He was not brilliant but a rather cheerful person and exceedingly loyal to The Boss. He offered solutions whenever The Boss was in a fix. Thus, the other employees considered him No.2 in Gemini Studios.
Q3. How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios?
Answer
The English poet was addressing the Tamil audience at Gemini Studios in English with a typical provincial accent. He was talking about the thrills and travails of an English poet to a dazed and silent audience. This was the incongruity because his audience could not understand him at all.
Q4. What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account?
Answer
The writer was a prose-writer. He wanted to send a short story for the short story contest organised by a British periodical by the name ‘The Encounter’.
Talking about the Text
Discuss in small groups taking off from points in the text.
1.Film-production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios.
2. Poetry and films.
3. Humour and criticism.
Answer
1. Film production is more technical nowadays. While earlier only five per cent of the shooting was done outdoors, nowadays outdoor shooting is no more limited to such a negligible percentage. The cameras and other equipments are more advanced allowing for more varied and accurate presentation.
The quality of make-up has improved many folds from the days of the Gemini Studios where only pancake was used. The people involved in various departments are experts in their specialised work, be it the director, producer, scriptwriter, lyricist or the actors. The overall quality of the films is more striking and lively.
2. In India poetry and films are intricately linked. The people at Gemini Studios, all claimed to have the talents of a poet. The main reason behind it was their monotonous and leisurely life at the studios. However, these people were not knowledgeable or educated enough to be poets. Unlike poetry, films can be enjoyed by people with little resources who cannot afford to cultivate taste for poetry and literature.
3. The story is interspersed with instances dipped in subtle humour. The humorous instances, however, make interesting and relevant comments on the behaviour of general people. A humorous story has more readers, a humorous film more viewers. This is because they provide entertainment and a respite from the tedious existence. Criticism by means of humour is more effective, hence writers and film-makers often use humorous elements in their works and make sarcastic comments and criticism.
MCQs
Question 1.
Who was heading the make-up department?
(a) a Madrasi
(b) A tamilian
(c) A bengali
(d) A Bengali and later was succeeded by a Maharashtrian
Answer
(d) A Bengali and later was succeeded by a Maharashtrian
Question 2.
Why was Subbu a trouble shooter?
(a) because of his gossip style
(b) because of his flattery
(c) ability to mix up with everyone
(d) because of his problem resolving quality
Answer
(d) because of his problem resolving quality
Question 3.
When did MRA visit Madras?
(a) 1942
(b) 1922
(c) 1932
(d) 1952
Answer
(d) 1952
Question 4.
In this lesson, what is the purpose of humor and satire used by the author?
(a) to highlight human abilities
(b) to show capabilities
(c) to show varied capacities
(d) to show and highlight human infancies and flaws
Answer
(d) to show and highlight human infancies and flaws
Question 5.
How was Kothamanglam Subbu treated in the Gemini studio?
(a) with hatred
(b) rudely
(c) disrespectfully
(d) with high respect
Answer
(d) with high respect
Question 6.
How does the author come to know that English author was Stephen Spender?
(a) From a painting
(b) From the newspaper
(c) from a television show
(d) from a book- The God that failed
Answer
(d) from a book- The God that failed
Question 7.
What is the example of National Integration in Poets and Pancakes?
(a) Make up department of Gemini
(b) rehersal room
(c) office of Gemini studio
(d) none
Answer
(a) Make up department of Gemini
Question 8.
Who imitated the scenes of Sunset and Sunrise of Jotham Valley?
(a) Police
(b) Scouts of Madras
(c) Social Workers
(d) All Tamil Plays
Answer
(d) All Tamil Plays
Question 9.
Why was Subbu considered number 2 at Gemini studio?
(a) because of his flattery
(b) because of his abilities
(c) because of creative skills
(d) none
Answer
(c) because of creative skills
Question 10.
The boy in the make up room was jealous of whom?
(a) actors
(b) author
(c) the visitor
(d) Subbu’s success and his closeness to the boss
Answer
(d) Subbu’s success and his closeness to the boss
Question 11.
Why was the author praying for crowd shooting at all times?
(a) to attract the crowd
(b) to avoid people
(c) to avoid epical narrations
(d) none
Answer
(c) to avoid epical narrations
Question 12.
Why did everybody in the studio think of giving some work to the author?
(a) because of the idle appearance of his work
(b) because he was an office boy
(c) because he was a helper
(d) none
Answer
(a) because of the idle appearance of his work
Question 13.
What was MRA?
(a) British Army
(b) The Moral Rearmament Army- a counter movement to International Communism
(c) a wing of Indian Army
(d) A drama company
Answer
(b) The Moral Rearmament Army- a counter movement to International Communism
Question 14.
Who was the Englishman?
(a) Salman Rushdie
(b) D.H Lawrence
(c) George Orwell
(d) Stephen Spender- Editor of a British Periodical The Encounter
Answer
(d) Stephen Spender- Editor of a British Periodical The Encounter
Question 15.
For whom was Gemini studio making films?
(a) for English people
(b) for illiterate
(c) for elderly peole
(d) for simple Tamilians who have no interest in English poetry
Answer
(d) for simple Tamilians who have no interest in English poetry
Question 16.
Who was the founder of Gemini studio?
(a) Mr. S.S Vasan
(b) English man
(c) a Tamil boy
(d) a director
Answer
(a) Mr. S.S Vasan
Question 17.
What has Asokamitran brought up through this write up?
(a) topics of film industry
(b) topics of make up industry
(c) topics of gossip
(d) topics of heroines
Answer
(a) topics of film industry
Question 18.
Who was Greta Garbo?
(a) A Swedish actress- an Oscar winner
(b) a german actress
(c) a French actress
(d) a bengali actress
Answer
(a) A Swedish actress- an Oscar winner
Question 19.
When was Gemini studio set up?
(a) 1920
(b) 1930
(c) 1910
(d) 1940
Answer
(d) 1940
Question 20.
Who is the author of Poets and Pancakes?
(a) Asokamitran (1931), a Tamil writer
(b) Charu Nivedita
(c) Jayakanthan
(d) Balakumaran
Answer
(a) Asokamitran (1931), a Tamil writer
Question 21.
What does the expression ‘made to look ugly’ refer to ?
(a) make up done to look presentable before camera
(b) faces made by actors
(c) faces nade by office boy
(d) arrangements in the make up room
Answer
(a) make up done to look presentable before camera
Question 22.
What does the expression ‘ fiery misery’ mean?
(a) the glow of lights
(b) the bright lights
(c) the bright colorful dresses of heroines
(d) discomfort to the actors in the makeup room
Answer
(d) discomfort to the actors in the makeup room
Question 23.
What things attracted the audience in the plays staged by MRA?
(a) their jewellery
(b) their make up
(c) their dialogues
(d) their sets and costumes
Answer
(d) their sets and costumes
Question 24.
How many people were there in MRA group?
(a) 150
(b) 180
(c) 140
(d) 200 people from 20 nationalities
Answer
(d) 200 people from 20 nationalities
Question 25.
Why was Subbu termed as ‘many sided genius’?
(a) his flattery
(b) gossip style
(c) interaction with others
(d) ability to create and manage things
Answer
(d) ability to create and manage things
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