The lesson begins with Asokamitran telling us about Gemini Studios. He first explains about the very popular make-up brand they used, called ‘Pancakes’. Gemini Studios used this brand so much that they ordered truckloads of it.
Then he describes the problems actors and actresses faced. In the make-up room, many bright lights shone directly on their faces, making it very uncomfortable. The make-up men used too much make-up, which often made the actors look worse instead of better.
He also talks about the office boy in the make-up department. His job was to quickly put make-up on the faces of people acting in crowd scenes.
Further, we learn that the author himself was a poet. He joined the studio hoping to become an actor, screenwriter, director, or lyricist. He worked in a small cubicle where he had to collect newspaper cuttings. The office boy would often come to him and complain. The author believed that Subbu was the one troubling the office boy. As Subbu was a Brahmin, the author felt he had an upper hand.
Intro of “Poet and Pancakes”
Poet and Pancakes Summary
Character Sketch of Kothamangalam Subbu
Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios. He is the most resourceful and helpful person in Gemini Studios; moreover, though not brilliant, he is cheerful, extremely loyal to The Boss, and always ready with solutions whenever The Boss is in a fix. Thus, the other employees considered him No.2 in Gemini Studios. Subbu is the central character who shows how the film world depends on multi-talented people.
Character Sketch of Asokamitran
Asokamitran, the author and narrator of the lesson, works in a small cubicle in Gemini Studios where he performs simple tasks like cutting and filing newspaper clippings. He is a quiet and observant person with a witty and humorous outlook, which allows him to notice the chaos, comedy, and unusual characters around him in the studio. Although he is not directly involved in filmmaking, everything happening there is closely watched by him and reflected upon with subtle humour.
Character Sketch of The Office Boy
The office boy had joined the studio years ago in the hope of becoming an actor or a screenwriter, or a director, or a lyricist. The fact that he ended up becoming none of these left him frustrated. According to him, “great literary talent was being allowed to go waste in a department fit only for barbers and perverts”, and his anger, though meant for the department, was often directed at the author. In the end, it is clear that he is a frustrated person who refuses to accept his mistakes and instead blames Subbu for all his failures.
Character Sketch of Stephen Spender
Stephen Spender was a British poet and editor who visited Gemini Studios, but most people there could not understand him because of language barriers. As a result, his visit remained confusing and unrecognized by the studio workers. It was only many years later that the author, Asokamitran, finally understood Spender’s identity when he came across a book written by him and realized that the visitor to the studio had been a well-known literary figure.
Important Points to Remember
The make-up room of Gemini Studios was filled with bright, hot lights and thick layers of make-up, causing discomfort to the actors.
The make-up department had people from different states and communities—Bengali, Maharashtrian, Andhra, Kannadiga, Anglo-Burmese, and Tamils—showing unity in diversity.
The office boy applied make-up to crowd actors. He had dreams of becoming a writer, actor, or director but ended up doing a low-level job, which made him frustrated and angry.
Kothamangalam Subbu was extremely creative, loyal to the Boss, and could solve any filmmaking problem. Everyone considered him the No. 2 in Gemini Studios.
A lawyer worked in the story department, but he behaved opposite to a real legal professional. His foolish behaviour once ended the career of an actress.
People in the studio admired Gandhian values and wore khadi, but they did not truly understand complex ideas like communism.
The MRA group from abroad was welcomed because the studio workers disliked communism. Their plays impressed people with beautiful sets and scenes.
The English visitor was Stephen Spender, a poet and editor. Because of language barriers, no one understood him. Years later, the author recognised his name in a book and realised who he was.
