LEC-1, CH-6 POETS AND PANCAKES,CLASS-12TH,BOOK-FLAMINGO. EXPLAINED BY MAMTA PERVANA

1. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?

Ans. By ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up, the writer is trying to throw light upon the difficulties actors and actresses have to face because of half a dozen mirrors surrounded with large light bulbs. The bulbs generated a lot of heat and were definitely not a pleasure for the eyes.

2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

Ans At first, a Bengali was the head of the make-up studio but then he outgrew Gemini Studios and left it for better opportunities. After him, it was supervised by a Maharashtrian who was assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese and the usual local Tamils. The fact that people from different cultures worked together puts forward the post-independence national integration scenario. It shows that people were united way before All India Radio and Doordarshan raised the concept.

3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?

Ans. The ‘office boy’ had the duty of slapping paints on the faces of players at the time of crowd-shooting. He joined Gemini Studios with a dream of becoming a first-rate actor, screen-writer or producer.

4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

Ans. The author’s job was to cut and collect newspaper clippings or sometimes even writing them by hand. This was easier and lesser in comparison to what others were doing at the Studio.


5. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?

Ans. The office boy was frustrated because he thought his literary talent was going wasted in a room full of barbers and make-up artists. He somehow managed to deviate his anger on Subbu.

6. Who was Subbu’s principal?

Ans. The Boss, SS Vasan, who was also the founder of Gemini Studios, was Subbu’s principal

7. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.

Ans. Subbu, as a man of many qualities, had the ability to look cheerful at all times, was an excellent actor who could portray his roles in several ways, was an accomplished poet, and loved anyone he met.

8. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?


Ans. The legal adviser was referred to as the opposite by others because he once resorted to blackmailing an actress by recording her while she was throwing tantrums on the set. This is not considered to be legal, thus he was usually called the opposite.


9. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?

Ans. Gemini Studios was filled with dreamers and creative personnel. A lawyer in between them was the only man with logic. The writer calls him a ‘neutral’ man.

10. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?

Ans. No, although they dressed up in Khadi, they did not have the slightest political affiliations.

11. Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?

Ans. Frank Buchman’s Moral Re-Armament army was welcomed at the studio mainly because of their political association. The MRA came as a welcome change to their monotonous days at the studio.

12. Name one example to show that Gemini studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.

Ans. Frank Buchman’s Moral Rearmament Army staged two plays“Jotham Valley” and The Forgotten Factor” in a most professional manner. The Gemini family of 600 and the people of Madras city watched them times and again.

13. Who was The Boss of Gemini Studios?

Ans. SS Vasan was The Boss of Gemini Studios.

14. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?


Ans. The British accent of the Englishman caused lack of communication between him and the people at Gemini Studios.

15. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?

Ans. The Englishman’s visit to the Gemini Studios is referred to as anunexplained 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.

16. Who was the English visitor to the studios?

Ans. Stephen Spender

17. How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?

Ans. Before investing money in participating in a short story contest organized 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.

18. What does The God that Failed refer to?


Ans. The God that Failed refers to a collection of essays by six authors who wrote about their journey into Communism, one of them being Stephen Spender.