Ramasamy Ganesan, better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred to as the Kaadhal Mannan for his romantic roles in films. Ganesan was one of the "three biggest names of Tamil cinema", the other two being M. G. Ramachandran and Sivaji Ganesan. While Sivaji Ganesan excelled in dramatic films and M. G. Ramachandran was popular as an action hero, Gemini Ganesan was known for his romantic films. A recipient of the Padma Shri in 1971, he had also won several other awards including the Kalaimamani, the MGR Gold Medal, and the Screen Lifetime Achievement Award. He was one of the few college graduates to enter the film industry then.
Savitri Ganesan was an Indian actress, playback singer, dancer, director, and producer known for her works primarily in Tamil and Telugu cinema. She had also worked in Kannada, Hindi and Malayalam films. She starred in more than 250 films over three decades. She was one of the highest-paid and most popular Indian actresses from the 1950s to early 70s, and is known by the epithets Mahanati and Nadigaiyar Thilagam.
Thoguluva Meenatchi Iyengar Soundararajan, popularly known as TMS, was an Indian Carnatic musician and a playback singer in Tamil cinema for over six and a half decades. He sang over 10,138 songs from 3,162 films, including devotional, semi-classical, Carnatic, classical and light music songs. He gave classical concerts starting in 1943.
Paadha Kaanikkai is a 1962 Tamil-language drama film directed by K. Shankar and written by M. S. Solamalai. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and Savitri, with C. R. Vijayakumari, M. R. Radha and Kamal Haasan in supporting roles. It was released on 14 July 1962.
Naan Avanillai is a 1974 Indian Tamil-language film starring Gemini Ganesan. Produced by Ganesan himself, it was directed by K. Balachander. It was adapted from the 1962 Marathi language play To Mee Navhech, written by Pralhad Keshav Atre. The film deals with a man who woos and marries several women while he takes on as many different identities.
Paava Mannippu is a 1961 Indian Tamil-language drama film directed and edited by A. Bhimsingh, who co-produced it under his banner Buddha Pictures, with AVM Productions. The film features an ensemble cast of Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savitri, Devika and M. R. Radha. M. V. Rajamma, V. Nagayya, S. V. Subbaiah and T. S. Balaiah play supporting roles. It revolves around four children who are separated from their parents in childhood, then found and raised by foster parents of different religious backgrounds.
Vanji Kottai Valipan is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language Ruritanian romance film written by the Gemini Studios story department, consisting of K. J. Mahadevan, C. Srinivasan and Kothamangalam Subbu, while the film was directed and produced by S. S. Vasan. It stars Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala and Padmini, with P. S. Veerappa, T. K. Shanmugam, P. Kannamba, Vijayakumari, K. A. Thangavelu and M. S. Sundari Bai in supporting roles. The camera was handled by P. Ellappa and the audiography was handled by C. E. Biggs, while the editing was done by N. R. Krishna Sami. This film was remade in Hindi as Raj Tilak with the same lead actors.
Rangoon Radha is a 1956 Indian Tamil-language film directed by A. Kasilingam. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi. Based on the 1944 American film Gaslight, It is about a man trying to steal his wife's fortune. The film was released on 1 November 1956.
Makkalai Petra Magarasi is a 1957 Indian Tamil-language film starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi. The film was remade in Kannada as Anna Thangi.
School Master is a 1958 Indian Kannada language film, produced and directed by B. R. Panthulu. The film starred B.R. Panthulu himself in the lead role along with Dikki Madhava Rao, M. V. Rajamma, Udaykumar, Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi in important roles. It was the first Kannada film to complete a Silver Jubilee Celebration. This film had its children's dance drama in Gevacolor, taken by cinematographer W. R. Subba Rao. It was later remade in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi in spite of it being dubbed in Tamil and Telugu as Engal Kudumbam Perisu and Badi Pantulu, respectively.
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram also known as Pattukottaiyar was an Indian Tamil poet and lyricist. Considered to be the most popular Tamil lyricist of the 1950s, he is particularly remembered for the philosophy-tinged lyrics he penned for M. G. Ramachandran’s movies.
Pathi Bakthi is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language drama film starring Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savitri and M. N. Rajam. It was released on 14 March 1958.
Kalyana Parisu is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language romantic drama film written and directed by Sridhar. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi while K. A. Thangavelu, Vijayakumari, M. Saroja, S. D. Subbulakshmi, A. Nageswara Rao and M. N. Nambiar play supporting roles. A triangular love story, it is about two close sisters whose lives turn upside down when they both fall in love with the same man. Out of respect, the younger sister decides to sacrifice her love, unknown to the elder sister.
Paradesi or Poongothai is a 1953 Indian Telugu-Tamil bilingual romance film, produced by P. Adinarayana Rao under the Anjali pictures banner and directed by L. V. Prasad. It stars Akkineni Nageswara Rao, Anjali Devi, Sivaji Ganesan and music also composed by P. Adinarayana Rao. The film is a remake of the Hindi movie Raj Rani (1950). No print of Poongothai is known to survive, making it a lost film.
Vilaiyattu Pillai is a 1970 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by A. P. Nagarajan and produced by Gemini Studios. It is based on Kothamangalam Subbu's novel Rao Bahadur Singaram, which was serialised in the magazine Ananda Vikatan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Padmini and Kanchana. It deals with the romance between a woman who raises a bull and a man who sets out to tame it.
Meenda Sorgam is a 1960 Indian Tamil-language romantic musical film, written and directed by Sridhar. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and Padmini, with K. A. Thangavelu, T. R. Ramachandran, N. Lalitha and Manorama in supporting roles. It was released on 29 July 1960, and failed commercially.
Maaman Magal is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by R. S. Mani. The film stars Gemini Ganesan, Savitri, T. S. Balaiah and J. P. Chandrababu. Released on 14 October 1955, it was a moderate success.
Missiamma is a 1955 Indian Tamil-language romantic comedy film directed by L. V. Prasad. Produced by B. Nagi Reddy and Aluri Chakrapani's Vijaya Vauhini Studios, the script was adapted by Chakrapani from the Bengali novel Manmoyee Girls School by Rabindranath Maitra. Missiamma also focused on social issues such as unemployment, corruption, and freedom of worship. Missiamma tells the story of two unemployed people of different religions and mentalities: Balu and Mary. They pose as a married couple to obtain jobs in a high school founded by Gopal, the zamindar of Aandipettai. As Balu and Mary fall in love, Gopal's nephew Raju learns that Mary is Gopal's missing elder daughter Mahalakshmi; she is unaware of her true identity.
Ellarum Innattu Mannar is a 1960 Indian Tamil language film directed by T. Prakash Rao. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and B. Saroja Devi, with M. N. Nambiar, M. N. Rajam and K. A. Thangavelu in supporting roles.
Nalla Theerpu is a 1959 Indian Tamil-language legal drama film directed by T. Prakash Rao and written by Murasoli Maran. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and Jamuna. It was released on 9 April 1963, and emerged a success.
