"Poets and Pancakes" is the autobiographical account written by author Asokamitran. It describes the days Asokamitran spent at the famous Gemini StudiOS in Madras as a news collector.
"Pancakes" refers to the brand of makeup foundation used by the makeup artists in making the actors/actresses "ugly" in order to look presentable on camera.
He describes the national integrity seen in the studio in form of hierarchial makeup department headed by a Maharashtrian assisted by a Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a madras Indian catholic and an Anglo-Burmese.
The author describes Kothamangalam Subbu, the number 2 at Gemini StudiOS who was jack of all trades. He was a multi- faceted personality with a knack for writing poetry and acting. A creative man, he could produce scenes at will of the director. He was a genuine man with genuine love and compassion for all humans which invited the envy of the office boy of make-up department who wanted to a lyricist but ended up slapping paint on the crowd players.
His time at the studiOS is marked by the visits of the Moral Re-Armament army (who perform plays at the studiOS consisting of over 200 foreign actors) and English poet Stephen Spender whose visit surprises all. Nobody recognizes the famous poet and his visit remains an unsolved mystery till years later when the author chances upon a prose writing competition held by Spender's news paper.
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