Ramasamy Ganesan, better known by his stage name Gemini Ganesan, was an Indian actor who worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He was referred as 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.
B. Saroja Devi is an Indian actress who has acted in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi films. She acted in around 200 films over seven decades. She is known by the epithets "Abhinaya Saraswathi" in Kannada and "Kannadathu Paingili" in Tamil. She is one of the most successful actresses in the history of Indian cinema.
Nissankara Savitri was an Indian actress, singer, and filmmaker who predominantly worked in Telugu and Tamil films. Widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Indian cinema, she was popularly known by the epithets Mahanati in Telugu and Nadigaiyar Thilagam in Tamil. Savitri was among the highest-paid and most sought-after actresses in South Indian cinema during the 1950s and 1960s.
Thiruttu Payale is a 2006 Indian Tamil-language erotic thriller film written and directed by Susi Ganesan. The film stars Jeevan and Sonia Agarwal, with Abbas, Malavika, Vivek, Manoj K. Jayan, Gaayathri and Charle in supporting roles. The music was composed by Bharadwaj. Thiruttu Payale was a box office success. The film was remade in Hindi by the director himself as Shortcut Romeo (2013). The film was also remade in Telugu and Kannada as Mr. Rascal and Aadu Aata Aadu respectively. A spiritual successor Thiruttu Payale 2 was released in 2017.
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.
School Master is a 1958 Indian Kannada-language film produced and directed by B. R. Panthulu. The film stars 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. This was the first Kannada film to complete a silver jubilee. The 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.
Savaale Samali is a 1971 Indian Tamil-language film, starring Sivaji Ganesan in is his 150th film. It was released on 3 July 1971. The film was remade in Telugu as Manchi Rojulu Vachayi (1972), in Malayalam as Randu Lokam (1977), in Kannada as Siritanakke Savaal (1978) and in Hindi as Charnon Ki Saugandh (1988). The film become a blockbuster at the box-office, running for over 100 days in theaters.
Irumbu Thirai is a 1960 Indian Tamil-language film produced and directed by S. S. Vasan. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Vyjayanthimala, K. A. Thangavelu and B. Saroja Devi, with S. V. Ranga Rao, Pandari Bai and Vasundhara Devi in supporting roles. A remake of Vasan's own Hindi film Paigham (1959), it revolves around two brothers Manikam and Kondamuthu and their mill owner.
Pennin Perumai is a 1956 Indian Tamil-language film starring Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan, Savitri and Santha Kumari. It is a remake of the Telugu film Ardhangi, which was based on Maddipatla Suri's Telugu translation of the Bengali novel Swayamsiddha, written by Manilal Banerjee. The film was released on 17 February 1956.
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.
Miss Mary is a 1957 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by L. V. Prasad. The movie is an AVM Production and directed by L. V. Prasad. A remake of Prasad's 1955 Telugu-Tamil bilingual film Missamma / Missiamma, the film stars Meena Kumari in the titular role, Kishore Kumar and Ganesh(Gemini Ganesan). The music was by Hemant Kumar with the lyrics and dialogue written by Rajendra Krishan. The songs were sung by Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt and Mohammed Rafi.
Vilaiyattu Pillai is a 1970 Indian Tamil-language film, directed by A. P. Nagarajan and produced by Gemini Studios. 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.
Engal Thanga Raja is a 1973 Indian Tamil-language film, directed and produced by V. B. Rajendra Prasad. The film stars Sivaji Ganesan, Manjula, and Sowcar Janaki. It is a remake of the 1972 Telugu film Manavudu Danavudu, and loosely adapts the 1886 novel Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Veerakkanal is 1960 Indian Tamil-language historical action film, directed by G. K. Ramu and produced by P. S. Veerappa. The film stars Gemini Ganesan and Anjali Devi, with M. Saroja, K. A. Thangavelu, Veerappa, M. N. Nambiar, M. N. Rajam and Kamala in supporting roles. It was released on 2 December 1960.
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.
Soubhagyavathi is 1957 Indian Tamil-language historical comedy film directed by Jampanna and produced by N. M. Naganna. The film dialogue was written by A. L. Narayanan and the story was written by Jampanna. Music was by Pendyala Nageswara Rao and M. S. Gnanamani. The film stars Gemini Ganesan Savitri, K. A. Thangavelu S. V. Ranga Rao and T. P. Muthulakshmi, playing lead, with O. A. K. Devar, Kaka Radhakrishnan, M. S. Draupadi and Suryakala in supporting roles. It was released on 22 October 1957.
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.
Mahanati is a 2018 Indian Telugu-language biographical drama film based on the life of actress Savitri. It is written and directed by Nag Ashwin, and produced by Priyanka Dutt under Vyjayanthi Movies and Swapna Cinema. The film features Keerthy Suresh as Savitri while Dulquer Salmaan plays Savitri's husband Gemini Ganesan. The film also stars Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Vijay Deverakonda, along with Rajendra Prasad, Prakash Raj, and Bhanupriya who appear in supporting roles. Naga Chaitanya and Mohan Babu, among others, play guest appearances. The plot follows Savitri's life, depicting her turbulent rise to prominence, marriage with Ganesan, and subsequent fall from grace, which is viewed from the perspective of a journalist and a photographer, played by Samantha and Deverakonda respectively.
