A. UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT :
1. 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 ?
Ans - 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 .
2. Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios ?
Ans - Kothamangalam Subbu succeeded in securing the place closed 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 .
3. How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios ?
Ans - 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 travels of an English poet to a dazed and silent audience . This was the incongruity because his audience could not understand him at all .
4. What do you understand about the author's literary inclinations from the account ?
Ans - 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 '.
B. TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT :
1. Discuss in small groups talking 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 .
Ans - 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 has 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 .
C. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS :
1. What does the writer mean by ' The fiery misery ' of those subjected to make - up ?
Ans - The heat produced by the lights in the make-up brought about a lot of discomfort to the actors in the make-up room . Hence the writer refers to this pain and trouble as ' Terry Misery '.
2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to ?
Ans - 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 .
3. What work did the ' office boy ' do in the German Studios ? Why did he join the studios ? Why was he disappointed ?
Ans - 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'.
4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios ?
Ans - 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 .
5. Who was Subbu's principal ?
Ans - Mr. S.S. Vasan , the founder of the Gemini Studios , was Subbu's principal.
