S. S. Vasan

S. S. Vasan Biography

S. S. Vasan’s full name is Subramaniam Srinivasan. He was a south Indian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director, politician and business tycoon. He is better known as the founder of the film production company Gemini Studios, Gemini Film Laboratories and Gemini Picture Circuit. He is also the founder of Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan. He was a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) from 1964 and served his term till his death. For his extraordinary contribution to Indian media, he was honoured with Padma Bushan in 1969, the year of his death. He has produced and directed both Tamil and Hindi movies.

As a film producer, apart from south Indian movies, he has also produced and directed Hindi movies like Paigham, Ghunghat, Gharana, Aurat, Grahasti, Shatranj, Nishan, Teen Bahuraniyan, Chandralekha, Mr.Sampath, Bahut Din Huye, Insaniyat and Raj Tilak under the banner Gemini Studios. He produced the Tamil classic movie, Avvaiyar in 1953, with lead role played by vocalist, K. B. Sundarambal. He is always regarded as a pioneer in Indian Cinema.

Vasan was born in Thiruthuraipoondi in the Tanjore district into a poor Brahmin family on January 4, 1904. After the death of his father at a younger age, his family was forced to migrate to Chennai. Vasan discontinued his studies before graduation and entered advertising business. In 1928, Vasan purchased a struggling Tamil magazine Ananda Bodhini and renamed and re-launched it as Ananda Vikatan. Through his hard work, he made this magazine as one of the most reputed Tamil magazine of Madras Presidency and now it’s more than 85 years old.

In 1936, he made a feature film based on his novel Sathi Leelavathi. In 1940, he purchased the Motion Picture Producers Combine, a film studio and renamed it Gemini Studios. Gemini studios has later witnessed numerous hit films of the industry including -  “ Mangamma Sapatham”, "Aboorva Sagotharargal, "Nandanaar", "Bala Nagamma", Miss Malini, Chandralekha, Vanjikkottai Valiban, "Nishaan", "Mangala", "Insaaniyat", "Grahasti", "Gharana", "Zindagi", "Vazhkai Padagu", "Motor Sundaram Pillai", "Olivilakku", "Chakradhari", "Aurat", "Avvaiyar", "Paigham" and Irumbu Thirai. Gemini Pictures declined during the decade of 1970s. Yet it has remained successful as a studio and equipment rental business though no longer held by his family.

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Updated: January 17, 2014