{"id":75031,"date":"2025-11-18T00:00:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T04:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=75031"},"modified":"2025-11-18T01:34:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T05:34:43","slug":"kaadhal-mannan-gemini-ganesanon-screen-romancer-and-off-screen-casanova","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=75031","title":{"rendered":"“Kaadhal Mannan” Gemini Ganesan: On- screen Romancer and Off-screen Casanova."},"content":{"rendered":"

By
\nD.B.S.Jeyaraj<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Re-posted to Commemorate Gemini Ganesan’s 105th Birthday on 17th November)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Popular Tamil cinema actor Gemini Ganesan whose 105th birth anniversary was on November 17th , is regarded widely as the greatest romantic lover in Tamil cinema . In a career spanning more than five decades Gemini Ganesan made his mark in Tamil films as the romantic hero par excellence. In fact he was dubbed \u201cKaadhal Mannan,\u201d meaning \u201cKing of Romance\u201d. Though he played a number of diverse roles , it was as a lover on screen that Gemini shone brightly. This hallmark earned him the evergreen laurel of Romance king.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Gemini Ganesan (17 November 1920 \u2013 22 March 2005)<\/p><\/div>
\n\"\"<\/p>\n

What is most interesting about Gemini Ganesan is the fact that his romantic on-screen and off-screen persona got intertwined in reel life and real life.While the actor hero crooned and danced his way into the hearts of many lovely heroines on screen, the off-screen Gemini too romanced many women in real life. Gemini had four wives plus several liaisons including live -in relationships with attractive women. He himself admitted to his numerous affairs with other married women to the Indian magazine\u201dDebonair\u201d in an interview . When the magazine wanted more details, Gemini declined to elaborate saying, \u201cGentlemen don\u2019t tell!\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

In keeping with the practice of devoting at least one article in the early weeks of each month to a cinema-related topic, this column focuses on Gemini Ganesan this week. I have written about him earlier and shall rely upon some of these writings to help revive pleasant memories of an actor who gave me and millions of others immense pleasure through his movies.<\/p>\n

I would like to start off this article on a personal note. I was in 1974 a student for a short stint at Madras Christian College (MCC) in Chennai , the institution from where Gemini Ganesan graduated. In July 1974, three of us MCC students , cut lectures and went to see Gemini at his residence. We had seen his film \u2018Naan Avanillai\u2019 for the second time the previous day and were highly impressed. We felt the urge to meet him in person and on a sudden whim thought of going to see him.<\/p>\n

When he was told that three MCC students were at the gate, he invited us in. Gemini seemed rather surprised at our turning up suddenly but was most gracious. Gemini was happy that we appreciated his latest film.It was released on June 7th but had not done well at the box-office. He chatted with us for nearly three hours on a number of topics including his films and his days at MCC. He was a wonderful conversationalist with a great sense of humour. Some jokes were slightly risqu\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"\" <\/p>\n

At the end of it all, Gemini admonished us gently for playing truant from college and coming to see him. He said he had received us only because we were students at MCC and advised us to concentrate on our studies and not get distracted by sideshows. Finally Gemini Ganesan bade farewell after instructing his driver to drop us off at the Nungambakkam station to take the electric train to Tambaram where MCC was located.<\/p>\n

Gemini and his actress \u2013 spouse Savitri were very popular in Sri Lanka known formerly as Ceylon . The couple had many fans from all communities in the Island. Savitri in particular had a lot of female fans. I remember Gemini and Savitri arriving together by plane from India at the Ratmalana airport in the early sixties of the last century. They were the chief guests at a cultural event named \u2018Silamboli\u2019 or \u2018Tone of the Anklets\u2019. Hundreds of fans mobbed them at the airport. The newspapers in all three languages published photographs of their arrival on the front pages.<\/p>\n

Gemini Ganesan hailed from a Brahmin family. His father was Ramaswami and mother Gengamma. His given name at birth was Ganapathi Subramanian Sarma but was generally called Ganesan. Soon he became known as Ramaswami Ganesan or R. Ganesh. In some of the earlier films in which Ramaswami Ganesan acted, the credits show him only as R.G or R.Ganesh. As his screen career blossomed, the actor became known as \u201cGemini\u201d Ganesan.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The prefix \u201cGemini\u201d came into being because prior to acting Ganesan had worked as casting director at the prestigious Gemini studios in Tamil Nadu. By a coincidence his contemporary and namesake Sivaji Ganesan too got the prefix \u201cSivaji\u201d due to his acting as the Mahratta King Sivaji in a drama written by former DMK Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai. Soon the Tamil film industry began distinguishing between the two Ganesans by calling one Sivaji and the other Gemini.<\/p>\n

MGR, Sivaji and Gemini<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sivaji Ganesan, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Gemini Ganesan comprised the triumvirate that dominated Tamil movies from the fifties to the seventies of the 20th century. Another actor of the time, S.S. Rajendran, strove valiantly to make this trio a quartet but failed. The top thespian trinity of that vintage in Tamil cinema were Sivaji, MGR and Gemini. They ruled the roost in \u201cKollywood\u201d as the Tamil Nadu film industry is referred to in lighter vein because most film studios at one time were located in the Kodambakkam area. Inspired by Hollywood, Kodambakkam became Kollywood for Tamil films just as Bombay became Bollywood for Hindi movies<\/p>\n

Gemini however was the odd man out among the top three. Unlike MGR and Sivaji, he had no professional experience as a stage actor. Both MGR and Sivaji had learnt the ropes as part of the Madurai Boys Company drama group. However unlike them Gemini had tertiary qualifications. He was a BSc graduate from Madras University whereas the others, having taken to the stage in childhood, acquired learning from the school of life.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

MGR and Sivaji encouraged fans associations and participated in political activity but Gemini remained aloof from politics. He even declined a Rajya Sabha MP nomination proposal by former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. While he was always cordial towards fans and friends, he never promoted \u201cRasikar Mandrangal\u201d (fan associations). This phenomenon continues to this day in Tamil Nadu with proliferating fans associations dedicated to various film stars.<\/p>\n

While MGR\u2019s plus point in screen performances was swashbuckling action sequences and Sivaji impressed with powerful dialogue delivery, Gemini cooed and wooed his way into many a heart. All the world loves a lover! Gemini was the greatest lover on Tamil silver screen, making hearts flutter. His handsome features, dashing personality, cavalier attitude, soft speech, twinkling eyes and impish humour proved an irresistible combination. Girls blushed as Gemini\u2019s soulful eyes from the screen seemed to penetrate the innermost depths of their hearts.<\/p>\n

Though he proved his mettle in many movies with fight scenes and heavy duty dialogue, Gemini was not classed as a fighter or actor in the MGR-Sivaji mould. This softie image led to a nickname \u201cSaambhaar\u201d or vegetable broth. Gemini was also called Ganesh, Gemini Mama and RG. His real name Ramaswamy Ganesan was soon forgotten.<\/p>\n