Not to be confused with Gemini Film Circuit.
Gemini Studios
Limited
Foundation1940
FounderS. S. Vasan
Defunct1994 (age 32)
Location cityMadras
Location countryIndia
Area servedTamil Nadu
Kerala
Bollywood
Andhra Pradesh
Websitehttp://geminiindia.in
IndustryMotion 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.

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
1940MadanakamarajanTamilB. 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.
1941Jeevana MukthiTeluguT. V. NeelakantanS. Rajeswara Raois their first film in Telugu language remake of Bhaktha Chetha (1940) of K. Subramanyam.[5]
1941NandanarTamilMurugadasaS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathystarring M. M. Dandapani Desikar and Serukalathur Sama
1942Mangamma SapathamTamilAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1944Kannamma En KadhaliTamilKothamangalam SubbuM. D. Parthasarathy
1943Dasi AparanjiTamilB. N. RaoS. Rajeswara Rao & M. D. Parthasarathy
1946Miss MaliniTamilKothamangalam SubbuS. Rajeswara Rao & P. S. Anandaraman
1947KalpanaHindiUday ShankarVishnudas ShiraliThis was Uday Shankar's dance spectacular, shot at the studio, that set the trend for future choreographers.
1947ChandralekhaTamilS. 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.
1947ChandralekhaHindiS. 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.
1948Apoorva SahodarargalTamilAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA 'costume adventure' film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1948NishanlHindiAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA 'costume adventure' film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1948Apoorva SahodaruluTeluguAcharyaS. Rajeswara Rao, M. D. Parthasarathy & R. VaidyanathanA 'costume adventure' film in three languages – Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and a major success.
1951Moondru PillaigalTamilR. Nagendra RaoM. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1951Mugguru KodukuluTeluguR. Nagendra RaoM. D. Parthasarathy & P. S. Anandaraman
1952AvvaiyyarTamilKothamangalam SubbuM. D. Parthasarathy, P. S. Anandaraman & Mayavaram VenuA Tamil film that proved a major box-office hit.
1953Rajee En KanmaniTamilK. J. MahadevanS. Hanumantha Rao
1953Rajee Naa PranamTeluguK. J. MahadevanS. Hanumantha Rao
1954InsaniyatHindiS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrafilm starring Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand.
1957Vanjikottai ValibanTamilS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrastarring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1957Raj TilakHindiS. S. VasanC. Ramchandrastarring Gemini Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala and Padmini.
1958PaighamHindiS. S. VasanC. RamchandraA Hindi film starring Dilip Kumar, Vyjayanthimala and Raaj Kumar.
1963ZindagiHindiRamanand SagarShankar- JaikishanA Hindi film starring Rajendra Kumar, Vyjayanthimala and Raaj Kumar.
1965 4Vaazhkai PadaguTamilC. SrinivasanViswanathan–RamamoorthyA Tamil film starring Gemini Ganesan, Devika
1965Motor 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.
1967Oli VilakkuTamilTapi ChanakyaM. S. ViswanathanMGR Film with S. S. Vasan
1968Manushulu MaraliTeluguV. Madhusudhana RaoK. V. Mahadevanstarring Shoban Babu
1969Samaj Ko Badal DaloHindiV. Madhusudhana RaoRavistarring Parikshit Sahni, Sharada, Prem Chopra and Pran.
1970Irulum OliyumTamilPuttanna KanagalK. V. Mahadevanstarring A. V. M. Rajan, Vanisri
1976Ellorum 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. 2002-07-08. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  4. ^ "B News Kolhapur Segment". B News. June 19, 2011. Archived 2021-12-15 at the Wayback Machine. 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 5 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. 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 2012-01-09.