#GoldenFrames: Gemini Ganesan

Gemini Ganesan starred in more than 200 movies across various languages. He was a part of many hit films in Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi. His Hindi movies even went on to become huge hits. He was known as 'Kadhal Mannan' (the king of romance) by his fans. Romantic movies were his forte, so his contemporaries in the industry called him 'Sambar'. The actor wooed women all his life, and they too loved him in return. Parallel families and eight children kept Ganesan on his toes throughout his career.

In This Pic : GoldenFrames, Gemini Ganesan

Born on November 17th, 1920, to a middle-class Brahmin family in Pudukottai, Ganesan stayed with his grandfather, a college principal, until he was ten years old. Later, he moved to Chennai and stayed with his aunt. He graduated from Madras Christian College.

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For such an ace actor, it is interesting to know that Gemini Ganesan never really aimed to be in the Indian cinema and dreamed of being a doctor instead. However, his hopes were shattered when his father-in-law passed away. He promised him a medical seat after graduation and in return offered to marry his daughter T.R. Alamelu. Ganesan was only nineteen during his first marriage. Together they have four daughters—Revathi, Kamala, Jayalakshmi and Narayani.

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Ganesan taught chemistry at the Madras Christian College. Eventually, he took up a job in the casting department of Gemini Studios after meeting cameraman K. Ramnoth. His association with the studio gave him the name Gemini Ganesan. But Ganesan was not content with casting and wanted to be on the screen himself.

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Ganesan's first movie was 'Miss Malini' (1947), where he met the stunningly beautiful Pushpavalli. He fell in love with her. But it was with his double role in 'Manam Pola Mangalyam' (1953) opposite the 'Meena Kumari of the South', Savitri, that he became a star. 'Kalyana Parisu' (1959) was one of Gemini's biggest ever hits.

(Photo: Still from the movie 'Miss Malini')

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