Gemini Studios

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.

Not to be confused with Gemini Film Circuit.

Gemini Studios
TypeLimited
IndustryMotion pictures
Founded1940 (1940)
FounderS. S. Vasan
Defunct1975 (1975)
Headquarters
Madras
Hollywood
,
India
USA
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

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

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
YearFilmLanguageDirectorMusicNotes
1941MadanakamarajanTamilB. N. RaoS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathywith the arrival of K. Ramnoth, a cameraman and scenarist, and A. K. Sekhar, art director brought many changes in production.
1942Jeevana MukthiTeluguT. V. NeelakantanS. Rajeswara Raois their first film in Telugu language remake of Bhaktha Chetha (1940) of K. Subramanyam.[5]
1942NandanarTamilMurugadasaS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathystarring M. M. Dandapani Desikar and Serukalathur Sama
1943Mangamma SapathamTamilAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1945Kannamma En KadhaliTamilKothamangalam SubbuM. D. Parthasarathy
1944Dasi AparanjiTamilB. N. RaoS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1947Miss MaliniTamilKothamangalam SubbuS. Rajeswara Rao & P. S. Anandaraman
1948KalpanaHindiUday ShankarVishnudas ShiraliThis was Uday Shankar's dance spectacular, shot at the studio, that set the trend for future choreographers.
1948ChandralekhaTamilS. S. VasanS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathya magnificent movie by S. S. Vasan that was a first for a Tamil to achieve All India distribution and brought excellent returns.
1948ChandralekhaHindiS. S. VasanS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathya magnificent movie by S. S. Vasan that was a first for a Tamil to achieve All India distribution and brought excellent returns.
1949Apoorva SahodarargalTamilAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1949NishanlHindiAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1949Apoorva SahodaruluTeluguAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA `costume adventure` film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1952Moondru PillaigalTamilR. Nagendra RaoM. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1952Mugguru KodukuluTeluguR. Nagendra RaoM. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1953AvvaiyyarTamilKothamangalam SubbuM. D. Parthasarathy, P. S. Anandaraman & Mayavaram VenuA Tamil film that proved a major box-office hit.
1954Rajee En KanmaniTamilK. J. MahadevanS. Hanumantha Rao
1954Rajee Naa PranamTeluguK. J. MahadevanS. Hanumantha Rao
1955InsaniyatHindiS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrafilm starring Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.
1958Vanjikottai ValibanTamilS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrastarring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1958Raj TilakHindiS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrastarring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1959PaighamHindiS. S. VasanC. RamchandraA Hindi film starring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala and Raaj Kumar.
1965Vaazhkai PadaguTamilC. SrinivasanViswanathan–RamamoorthyA Tamil film starring Gemini Ganesan, Devika
1966Motor Sundaram PillaiTamilS. S. BalanM. S. ViswanathanThis was Sivaji Ganesan's sole film for Gemini Studios. After S. S. Vasan's death, his son S. S. Balasubramanyam took the reins.
1968Oli Vilakku TamilTapi ChanakyaM. S. ViswanathanMGR Film with S. S. Vasan
1969Manushulu MaraliTeluguV. Madhusudhana RaoK. V. Mahadevanstarring Shoban Babu
1970Samaj Ko Badal DaloHindiV. Madhusudhana RaoRavistarring Parikshit Sahni, Sharada, Prem Chopra and Pran.
1971Irulum OliyumTamilPuttanna KanagalK. V. Mahadevanstarring A. V. M. Rajan, Vanisri
1975Ellorum NallavareTamilS. S. BalanV. KumarThis was a flop and the studio's fortunes declined in the 70s and it was taken over by Anand Cine Services later.

Aftermath

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
  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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