DOWN MELODY LANE
Gemini Ganesan certainly got the best songs of his era, but he gave us some pretty good movies too. A love note to the late King of Romance.
MAR 27, 2005 – IF DEV ANAND REMAINS THE MOST POPULAR, the most beloved of the Raj-Dev-Dilip trio of Hindi cinema, Gemini Ganesan was his Tamil counterpart. Gemini didn’t have the skill of Sivaji — nobody ever gave him ten-page stretches of dialogue, probably fearing that they’d be blown away by the flapping of his voluminous pyjamas. Neither was he into pro-poor lectures like MGR – his life consisted more of formers (read exes) than farmers. But what Gemini represented on screen was you and I – that is, if your life or my life were set to some of the most astounding songs ever, another trait his films shared with Dev’s. Here are five of the many reasons he’ll be missed.
Then Nilavu: People from an older era may claim that the definitive Gemini romance was Missiamma, which reportedly was our grandmothers’ Titanic, what with the actor wooing a charmingly young Savitri to the strains of Vaarayo Vennilaave. I, however, go with Then Nilavu, if only for the too-cool image of him in swimming trunks, water-skiing alongside the charmingly young Vyjayanthimala. And, oh, the songs… Chinna Chinna Kannile, Kaalayum Neeye, Nilavum Malarum Paadudhu… I’m misting up as I write this!
Sumaithangi: Sridhar, who made this film, and K Balachander (Iru Kodugal, Punnagai, among others) were the two directors who consistently used Gemini in serious themes, and this one’s the definitive Gemini tragedy, where his character experiences everything from romance to renunciation – he becomes a priest by the end. There’s a host of Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy beauties, headlined by PB Srinivas’s immortal Manidhan Enbavan. Who knew the Marina beach could be home to such melancholy?
Vanjikottai Vaaliban: Gemini has been in several costume dramas, and – oh, let’s just go ahead and say it – no one really likes the tiresome, jaw-breaker-titled ones (Kanavane Kankanda Deivam, Manaalane Mangayin Bhagyam) he made with crybaby Anjali Devi. Vanjikottai Vaaliban, though, is great fun, especially when two beauties (Vyjayanthimala, Padmini) fight tooth and nail for his affections, ignoring even the fact that his beard during the legendary dance-duet (Kannum Kannum Kalandhu) is faker than the surrounding cardboard palace. And, needless to say, a sensational score, by C Ramchandra.
Paarthaal Pasi Theerum: Gemini was one of the few actors unafraid to share space with more famous, better-regarded colleagues, and this one, with Sivaji, was one of the popular tearjerkers of the time. By way of songs, though, Gemini got short shrift – the film’s best number (Kodi Asaindhadhum) went to Sivaji and a slim-trim Saroja Devi, while poor Gemini got Andru Oomai Pennallo, where he was reduced to prancing around (in a truly-embarrassing tribal dress) with Savitri, who, by that time, had clearly begun to relish her breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
Unnaal Mudiyum Thambi: Gemini’s unexpected latter-day renaissance came from old friend K Balachander, who cast him as the intolerant, disciplinarian father of Kamal Haasan – the same Kamal Haasan who debuted as his cherubic son in Kalathur Kannamma (inevitable fabulous song: Arugil Vandhaal), and who later played his son-in-law in Avvai Shanmugi… The latter movie had no memorable songs, but it did showcase memorably what a good sport Gemini was. How many media-anointed Kings of Romance you know would spoof their own image by falling for another generation’s heartthrob in drag?
Copyright ©2005 The New Sunday Express. This article may not be reproduced in its entirety without permission. A link to this URL, instead, would be appreciated.
Baradwaj Rangan 
brangan
March 19, 2008
Gemini Ganesan passed away on 22 March 2005, so wanted to bring this post over to the new site. Discovered a bunch of other ones I’d forgotten about in the process…
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anon
March 19, 2008
Gemini was a true natural in the way he delivered his dialogues, compared to the heroes of that time. He was vastly underrated compared to Shivaji, SSR and the like.
He was terrific in Avvai Shanmughi I thought. It would have been great to do a Dirty Old Men remake w/ him and Shivaji wooing a Simran…
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munimma
March 19, 2008
He was awesome in Avvai S as the drooling oldie. He was an actor rather than a star. We have made fun of his superior vazhingifying (no English word can imply the same) skills, his words to Savithri – paadu santha paadu, are immortalized mainly due to his ‘style’. I remember someone saying that he loved to cook as much as he loved to marry.
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Padawan
March 19, 2008
Will there be an Obit for Raghuvaran? And yes, the director’s touch was fantastic for Anjathey!
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Deepauk M
March 19, 2008
I always liked Gemini’s old movies but that was mostly because I was and still am a really big fan of P.B.S. He along with Kannadhasan and M.S.V had some real gems for Gemini. But I realised he was an underrated actor who got trapped in his lover-boy image only when I saw Unnal mudiyum thambi and Avvai Shanmughi.
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Sagarika
March 20, 2008
brangan: Wow – this obit for “Kaadhal Mannan” dredged up so so many movie (and related personal) memories…thank you. My dad was a huge PBS fan and Gemini movies on DD were big events in our household in the mid 80s. I still know the lyrics for “Manidhan enbavan” by heart and can sing it in my sleep (after all those years of singing along with dad).
And speaking of dad, my heart stopped when I read Padawan’s comment…I mean, Raghuvaran is dead? Can’t be…No, I refuse to believe it…I’d always given dad a hard time about him and Raghuvaran being the same age, “Look at him and look at you“. It started with Anjali — my first Mani Rathnam movie ever in the theater (sad, I know, I’d caught everything else ranging from Pagal Nilavu to Geetanjali either on DD or at friends’ homes on scratchy VCR tapes) — that we went to watch at Kamala theater across the street from our home in Vadapalani for my parents’ 15th wedding anniversary. It’s a special experience that I can never erase from my head…I mean to be wowed for the first time ever by all of Mani Rathnam’s big-screen magic that I’ve only been deriving vicarious pleasure hearing about all along? I’m so glad it happened at 14 and not 40!
Going back to Raghuvaran, his “Oru Manidhanin Kadhai” was yet another must-not-be-missed in our household. Week after week on DD, we hoped Raghuvaran’s alcohol-guzzling-freight-train would see light at the end of the tunnel…
Oh well, I guess I got carried away. I’m making Gemini’s obit now sound like Raghuvaran’s (and my dad’s) obit. But I guess when you start with “Manidhan enbavan, dheivamaagalaam,” it might very well be, don’t you agree?
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memsaab
March 20, 2008
Let’s not forget Rekha, his biggest (not literally) legacy! 🙂
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raj
March 20, 2008
br, while the fact that he passed away enforces us to say only good things about him, it would be a stretch to call him under-rated (whether or not in comparison with Sivaji Ganesan). He was rated enough for his talents and enjoyed popularity beyond his talent. Yes, he was not bad.
I dont think the Dev Anand comparison holds in terms of sheer popularity. I mean, MGR re-releases went houseful a couple of years agon , (ie) 20 years after death. His name still fetches votes. Old women go misty eyed with “enna tejas, enna colour, mavarasan” – not ofcourse in your upmarket besant nagar but in usilampatti and senthampatty – MGR is the most beloved of that generation. In that sense, MGR was possibly the Dev Anand counterpart.Hang on, I get it. You mean ‘popular in Besant Nagar’ right? Yeah, that Gemini would be compared to MGR and Sivaji.
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Aditya Pant
March 20, 2008
I know people here will jump at my “ignorance” and “lack of exposure” to Tamil films, but the name Gemini Ganeshan instantly makes me hum “Ye Mard Bade Dil Sard” and brings up the visuals of a very young Meena Kumari fluttering her eyelashes and making unintentinally funny faces. 🙂
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vishal
March 20, 2008
Being alien to south indian movies , i just had chance to hear about this one of most respected actor in southern side..anyways, thnx for sharing .
Rangan Sir, plz awaiting for your “4 months 3 weeks 2days” movie review…seen the movie like 2 days back at fame , it left me stunned as a viewer by watching this extraordinary cinema ..though it made me bit uncomfortable , it was bit harsh ..but when u leave the theatre…all things fall in right place.all scenes leaves an big impack…and one understands what grt success and landmark this movie is.
so, eagerly awaiting for your review sir.
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Deepauk M
March 21, 2008
“Manidhan Enbavan” was apparently special to Kanndhasan as well. The lighting for the song sequence was provided by Kannadhasan’s car. Anachronism that I was, I used to walk around singing it when every other 14-yr old was singing “take it easy urvasi”. Plus I always wanted to see a deer in a bird’s nest. 🙂
Aditya – Thanks for the information I never knew Gemini Ganesan had bollywood ventures. IMDB informs me that L.V.Prasad, who had connections to the Tamil, Telugu and Hindi film fraternity (Damn you Karan Johar!!), directed Miss Mary. That explains Gemini Ganesan being in that movie.
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hrishi
March 21, 2008
i personally am not a fan of gemini ganesan but for me the unquestionably best movie of his is yaar payyan. for those who havent seen it, it is an endearing and delightful comedy that is a classic for all ages.
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Sagarika
March 21, 2008
Deepauk M: “I used to walk around singing [‘Manidhan Enbavan”] when every other 14-yr old was singing “take it easy urvasi”.” Seriously, what was wrong with you? Pinjileyay muththivitteergal pola irukku, as they say in Tamil. 🙂 I have no such claim to fame — my story is that my sister and I loved to irritate dad, a big-time bathroom singer. So whenever he started singing “Manidhan Enbavan,” we ran out to the backyard where the bathroom window was and sang along in a loud, completely out-of-sync chorus. Dad flew into a rage and the neighbors were in splits — yes, we were a weird bunch! 🙂
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Vivek
March 21, 2008
Caught Vanjikottai vaaliban yesterday night on Sun. Quite an irreverent film for its times. Was damn good fun though. Would have given it a miss if not for this article. Keep the faith!
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mugukanna
January 7, 2015
Going back to my chilwood days.. used to sit and watch some of gemini’s films at home. Ramu, kalathur kannama, karpagam nd many more.. he has no heroisms and just a mere guy like us inage in screena. A perfect husband and loverboy material of 60’s,70’s.
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Sanjay Kumar
December 11, 2018
Gemini ganesan was an excellent, though under rated actor. His best work was in the KB directed film “Punnagai”, a remake of “Satyakam” which was directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. He also had several memorable films with director Sridhar. He was very realistic playing the nagaswaram in “Konjum salangai compared to the over acting of sivaji with his face mannerisms in “Thillana mohanambal.
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