POETS AND PANCAKES

POETS AND PANCAKES 

   - ASOKAMITRAN

Short-Answer Type Questions 

1. What has been said about Robert Clive's stay in Madras? 

Answer - The upstairs make-up department of Gemini Studios was said to have been Robert Clive's stables. A dozen other buildings in the city used to be the places of his residence. He married a girl at St. Mary's Church in Fort St. George in Madras. 

2. What does the writer say about the job of the make-up gang? 

Answer- The writer says that these make-up man could turn with their potions any decent-looking person into a hideous monster. They made them ugly so that they might look presentable in the film. 

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

Answer- Subbu had the ability to look cheerful all the time. He was extremely loyal to the Boss. He was tailor-made for films and was a very talented actor. He could write very good poetry but generally he chose to address his poetry to the masses. 

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

Answer- Most of the people at the studios wore khadi. They worshipped Gandhiji. But beyond that they had no understanding of any political thought. However, they were terribly averse to the term 'Communism'.

5. Why is the Englishman's visit referred to as an unexplained mystery? 

Answer- Nobody knew exactly who this Englishman was. His speech to the audience was totally unintelligible. His accent was unknown to them. He went away after an hour without telling anything about himself. That was why his visit remained an unexplained mystery. 

LONG-ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS 

1. What work did the 'office boy' do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed? 

Answer- The 'office boy' was not a boy actually. He was a grown-up person. He was in his early forties. He had joined the studios with high hopes. He had expected to be a star actor, a director, a top screen writer or a lyric writer. But all that he could become was an insignificant make-up man. The make-up of those who played the crowd was his responsibility. It was a very unsatisfying job. Another man had joined the studios almost in similar difficult conditions. He was not even as literate as this office boy was. But now he had risen to be No. 2 in the studios. He was Kothamangalam Subbu. The office boy directed all his anger against Subbu. He thought him responsible for all his woes and troubles. It was, in fact, nothing but pure jealousy. 

2. Write a brief note on Kothamangalam Subbu's character. 

Answer- Subbu was the No. 2 at Gemini Studios. He had the ability to look cheerful at all times. He could never do things of his own but he was extremely loyal to The Boss. During the golden years of the Gemini Studios, Subbu had his hand in every important affair of the Company. He had a separate identity as a poet. He could certainly write in more complex and higher forms, but he deliberately chose to write for the masses. He composed several truly original 'story poems' in folk diction. He also wrote a novel with deftly-created characters. He was an amazing actor. He never aspired to the lead roles. But whatever role he played, he performed better than the main players. He was tailor-made for films. Subbu had a genuine love for anyone he met. His house was a permanent residence for dozens of relations and acquaintances. He had truly a nice character, yet he had his enemies.