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Gemini Studios

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Not to be confused with Gemini Film Circuit.

Gemini Studios
Company typeLimited
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded1940 (1940)
FounderS. S. Vasan
Defunct1975; 49 years ago (1975)
Headquarters
Madras
,
India
Area served
Tamil Nadu
Kerala
Bollywood
Andhra Pradesh
Websitehttp://geminiindia.in
Subramaniam Srinivasan, popularly known by his screen name S. S. Vasan, was an Indian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon
Subramaniam Srinivasan, Proprietor of Gemini Pictures

Gemini Studios was an Indian film studio based in Madras, Tamil Nadu. It was launched when S. S. Vasan, a businessman of many ventures (including the ownership of Ananda Vikatan) bought Motion Picture Producers' Combines from Krishnaswamy Subrahmanyam and renamed it.[1] The studio re-opened under the name Gemini. Despite the common beliefs about a lucky racehorse or the astrological sign of his wife, it was the logo Vasan chose that led to the name. Subrahmanyam had shown him a picture of his very young boys, blowing on toy trumpets in the nude. Vasan chose the pose to craft the logo and hence the name Gemini—The Twins.[2] The new facade also had statues of ‘The Gemini Twins’, blowing the bugle. Gemini Studios served as a breeding ground for innumerable artists and technicians for the south Indian Film Industry. The Gemini twins became a household symbol and the Gemini flyover was named after the original studio at that junction. Gemini Studios is one of the few producers in Tamil cinema to survive beyond 100 productions along with AVM, Modern Theatres, Thenandal Films, etc.

A chapter called "Poets and Pancakes" is based upon Gemini studios which is an excerpt from a novel My years with the Boss by Asokamitran is in the English curriculum of Class 12th Flamingo textbook by NCERT.

Early history

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S.S.Vasan bought from his friend K. Subramanyam a Film distribution business Motion Picture Producers' Combines studio on Mount Road for Rs.86,427-11-9,the odd figure arrived at through including the interest on unpaid wages of the employees and it was renamed as Gemini Studios in the year 1940.[3] G. Kamble, a painter from Kolhapur worked at the studios in his early life.[4]

Timeline

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Year Film Language Director Music Notes
1941 Madanakamarajan Tamil B. N. Rao S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy with the arrival of K. Ramnoth, a cameraman and scenarist, and A. K. Sekhar, art director brought many changes in production.
1942 Jeevana Mukthi Telugu T. V. Neelakantan S. Rajeswara Rao is their first film in Telugu language remake of Bhaktha Chetha (1940) of K. Subramanyam.[5]
1942 Nandanar Tamil Murugadasa S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy starring M. M. Dandapani Desikar and Serukalathur Sama
1943 Mangamma Sapatham Tamil Acharya S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1945 Kannamma En Kadhali Tamil Kothamangalam Subbu M. D. Parthasarathy
1944 Dasi Aparanji Tamil B. N. Rao S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1947 Miss Malini Tamil Kothamangalam Subbu S. Rajeswara Rao & P. S. Anandaraman
1948 Kalpana Hindi Uday Shankar Vishnudas Shirali This was Uday Shankar's dance spectacular, shot at the studio, that set the trend for future choreographers.
1948 Chandralekha Tamil S. S. Vasan S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy a magnificent movie by S. S. Vasan that was a first for a Tamil to achieve All India distribution and brought excellent returns.
1948 Chandralekha Hindi S. S. Vasan S. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy a magnificent movie by S. S. Vasan that was a first for a Tamil to achieve All India distribution and brought excellent returns.
1949 Apoorva Sahodarargal Tamil Acharya S. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. Vaidyanathan A `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1949 Nishanl Hindi Acharya S. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. Vaidyanathan A `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1949 Apoorva Sahodarulu Telugu Acharya S. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. Vaidyanathan A `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1952 Moondru Pillaigal Tamil R. Nagendra Rao M. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1952 Mugguru Kodukulu Telugu R. Nagendra Rao M. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1953 Avvaiyyar Tamil Kothamangalam Subbu M. D. Parthasarathy, P. S. Anandaraman & Mayavaram Venu A Tamil film that proved a major box-office hit.
1954 Rajee En Kanmani Tamil K. J. Mahadevan S. Hanumantha Rao
1954 Rajee Naa Pranam Telugu K. J. Mahadevan S. Hanumantha Rao
1955 Insaniyat Hindi S. S. Vasan C. Ramchandra film starring Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.
1958 Vanjikottai Valiban Tamil S. S. Vasan C. Ramchandra starring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1958 Raj Tilak Hindi S. S. Vasan C. Ramchandra starring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1959 Paigham Hindi S. S. Vasan C. Ramchandra A Hindi film starring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala and Raaj Kumar.
1964 Zindagi Hindi Ramanand Sagar Shankar- Jaikishan A Hindi film starring Rajendra Kumar, Vyjayanthimala and Raaj Kumar.
1965 Vaazhkai Padagu Tamil C. Srinivasan Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy A Tamil film starring Gemini Ganesan, Devika
1966 Motor Sundaram Pillai Tamil S. S. Balan M. S. Viswanathan This was Sivaji Ganesan's sole film for Gemini Studios. After S. S. Vasan's death, his son S. S. Balasubramanyam took the reins.
1968 Oli Vilakku Tamil Tapi Chanakya M. S. Viswanathan MGR Film with S. S. Vasan
1969 Manushulu Marali Telugu V. Madhusudhana Rao K. V. Mahadevan starring Shoban Babu
1970 Samaj Ko Badal Dalo Hindi V. Madhusudhana Rao Ravi starring Parikshit Sahni, Sharada, Prem Chopra and Pran.
1971 Irulum Oliyum Tamil Puttanna Kanagal K. V. Mahadevan starring A. V. M. Rajan, Vanisri
1975 Ellorum Nallavare Tamil S. S. Balan V. Kumar This was a flop and the studio's fortunes declined in the 70s and it was taken over by Anand Cine Services later.

Aftermath

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After the studio was abandoned for two decades, the headquarters was demolished and replaced by a luxury hotel called The Park in 2002.[6][7]

References

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  1. ^ A Madras Miscellany, S. Muthiah, Published by EastWest Books, pg 644 Categories
  2. ^ A Madras Miscellany, S. Muthiah, Published by EastWest Books, pg 260
  3. ^ "The Hindu : Recalling what Gemini did". Hindujobs.com. 8 July 2002. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  4. ^ "B News Kolhapur Segment". B News. 19 June 2011. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  5. ^ Jeevanmukthi (1942), blast from the past, M.L.Narasimham, The Hindu, 13 November 2011.
  6. ^ "Gemini Studio a dream hotel now". The Times of India. 16 May 2002. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  7. ^ "The Park Hotel Chennai, The Park Hotel Chennai India, Reservation of The Park Hotel Chennai, Deluxe Hotels in Chennai". Chennaihub.com. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
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