Poets and Pancakes NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

1. Notice these words and expressions in the text. Infer their meaning from the context.

Ans: Blew Over: Make a long, vehement critique or accusation speech.

  • Was Struck Dumb: Become mute as a result of surprise or shock.
  • Catapulted into: To launch or send forth.
  • A Coat of Mail: Chain mail, interconnected rings, or overlapping metal plates are used to create an armoured coat.
  • Played Into Their Hands: To act or behave in a way that benefits someone else (an opponent).
  • The favorite Haunt: A popular tourist destination.
  • Heard a Bell Ringing: Affecting an often hazy memory.


2. What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery’ of those subjected to make-up’?

Ans: The actors in the make-up room were very uncomfortable due to the heat produced by the lights in the make-up room. As a result, this pain is mentioned by the author. Trouble is described as a state of ‘flaming misery.’


3. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

Ans: The make-up branch of Gemini Studios was an example of national integration. This is because people from many areas and religious groups worked together in the same department, according to the author. A Bengali led the department until he was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. A Dharwar Kannadiga, an Andhra, a Madras Indian Christian, an Anglo-Burmese, and local Tamils were among the other aids.

4. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini Studios? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?

Ans: The office boy applies make-up to the players who acted in front of the audience. He mixed his paint in a large pot on crowd shooting days and applied it fast and noisily on the players’ faces. He had gone to the studios hoping to become a famous actor, screenwriter, director, or lyricist. He was dissatisfied because he had failed and remained a ‘boy.’

5. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios?

Ans: The author’s job entailed cutting out newspaper clippings on a wide range of topics and filing them away. Many of these have to be scribbled by hand. Onlookers saw him simply ripping up newspapers. As a result, he appeared to be doing nothing to them.


6. Why was the office boy frustrated? Who did he show his anger on?

Ans: Despite having a nice opening, the office boy was disappointed because he was still only an office boy. He had received a decent education and would also write poetry. His immense writing gift, on the other hand, was being squandered. He vented his rage on Gemini Studios’ No. 2 Kothamangalam Subbu.

7. Who was Subbu’s principal?

Ans: Subbu’s principal was Mr S.S Vasan, the founder of Gemini Studios.

8. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities.

Ans: Subbu possessed four unique abilities:

(i) Subbu could maintain a pleasant demeanour at all times.

(ii) His sense of commitment led him to devote all of his talents to his principal’s benefit: filmmaking was a breeze with Subbu around.

(iii) He was also a poet and novelist. He was a fantastic actor.

(iv) He was a generous and loving person.

9. Why was the legal adviser referred to as the opposite by others?

Ans: The lawyer worked in the Story Division. Officially, he was referred to as the legal adviser. His acts, on the other hand, did no one any good. He had accidentally put a bright young actress’s career on hold. As a result, he was dubbed “the polar opposite” by others.

10. What made the lawyer stand out from the others at Gemini Studios?

Ans: He stood out from the crowd because of his lawyer’s attire. He wore a trouser, a tie, and a coat on occasion. Others dressed in a khadi dhoti with a badly fitted white khaki shirt, which appeared to be everyone’s uniform.

11. Did the people at Gemini Studios have any particular political affiliations?

Ans: The majority of the people at Gemini Studios were Gandhiji devotees who wore khadi. Aside from khadi and the wearing of khadi, they had no political connections. They were all, however, opposed to communism.


12. Why was the Moral Rearmament Army welcomed at the Studios?

Ans: The Moral Rearmament Army was a sort of anti-communist counter-movement.

Mr Vasan and the other Madras Big Bosses simply played into their hands. As a result, the Moral Rearmament Army was warmly received at Gemini Studios.

13. Name one example to show that Gemini Studios was influenced by the plays staged by MRA.

Ans: The MRA’s productions had a significant impact on the Madras and Tamil drama communities. For a few years, practically all Tamil plays featured a sunrise and sunset scenario in the style of ‘Jotham Valley,’ complete with a bare stage, a white background curtain, and a flute song.

14. Who was the Boss of Gemini Studios?

Ans: Gemini Studios’ boss was Mr S.S Vasan.

15. What caused the lack of communication between the Englishman and the people at Gemini Studios?

Ans: The majority of the 600 or so people at Gemini Studios spoke Tamil. The Englishman addressed them in his native tongue. He spoke with an unusual accent. As a result, there was a communication gap between the Englishman and those who couldn’t understand what he was saying.

16. Why is the Englishman’s visit referred to as an unexplained mystery?

Ans: Because no one could figure out whether the Englishman was a poet or an editor, his visit to the Gemini Studios is referred to as an unexplained enigma. Furthermore, no one in the studio understood what he was trying to say because his accent was too thick for them to understand.

17. Who was the English visitor to the studios?

Ans: Stephen Spender, an Englishman, paid a visit to the Gemini Studios. He was the editor of The Encounter, a British periodical, as well as a well-known twentieth-century English poet, essayist, and novelist.


18. How did the author discover who the English visitor to the studios was?

Ans: Before spending money on a short story contest sponsored by the English periodical The Encounter, the author did some research on the publication. He went to the British Council Library, where he discovered that Stephen Spender, the poet who had earlier visited the studio, was the editor of that journal.

19. What does ‘The God that Failed’ refer to?

Ans: Six famous writers, including Andre Gide, Richard Wright, Ignazio Silone, Arthur Koestler, Louis Fischer, and Stephen Spender, contributed six articles to ‘The God That Failed.’ The authors of each piece discussed “their adventures into Communism and 

their disillusioned return” in their unique essays.

20. The author has used gentle humour to point out human foibles. Pick out instances of this to show how this serves to make the piece interesting.

Ans: The author’s use of comedy highlights the peculiarities and idiosyncrasies without making any direct or unpleasant remarks about anyone. For example, the author depicts make-up artists and the use of pancakes in an intriguing manner. Even Subbus caricature is amusing. It’s interesting how he attempts to help his principal by suggesting quick solutions to his difficulties. Another example is the situation in which a legal adviser mistakenly puts an actress’s career on hold. The author has injected light humour into the dissatisfaction of the office boy, the shallow praising of Gandhi, hate of Communism, and the “mystery” surrounding Stephen Spender, to name a few examples.

21. Why was Kothamangalam Subbu considered No. 2 in Gemini Studios?

Ans: Through flattery, Kothamangalam Subbu was able to secure the position closest to The Boss. He wasn’t bright, but he was a happy guy who was fiercely loyal to The Boss. When The Boss was in a pickle, he gave solutions. As a result, the other Gemini Studios employees regarded him as No. 2.

22. How does the author describe the incongruity of an English poet addressing the audience at Gemini Studios?

Ans: In English with a typical provincial accent, the English poet addressed the Tamil audience at Gemini Studios. He was speaking to a disoriented and silent audience about the joys and sorrows of being an English poet. This was an oddity because his listeners had no idea what he was saying.


23. What do you understand about the author’s literary inclinations from the account?

Ans: The author was a prose author. He intended to submit a short story to a British periodical called ‘The Encounter’ for a short story contest.

24. Discuss in small groups taking off from points in the text.

(i) Film production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios.

Ans: 

(i) Filmmaking has Become More Technical in Recent Years.

While outdoor shooting used to account for only 5% of all shootings, it now accounts for a much larger percentage of all shootings. More improved cameras and other technology allow for a more diversified and accurate presentation. From the days of the Gemini Studios, when the only pancake was employed, the quality of make-up has evolved dramatically. Whether it’s the director, producer, scriptwriter, lyricist, or performer, everyone participating in the many departments is an expert in their field. The movie’s overall quality is more striking and dynamic.

(ii) Poetry and films

Poetry and movies are inextricably intertwined in India. All of the employees at Gemini Studios claimed to have poetic abilities. Their repetitive and easygoing life at the studios was the main cause. These individuals, on the other hand, lacked the necessary knowledge and education to be poets. Films, unlike poetry, can be enjoyed by persons who do not have the financial means to nurture a passion for poetry or literature.

(iii) Humour and Criticism

The narrative is peppered with instances of subtle humour. The amusing incidents, on the other hand, make intriguing and pertinent observations about people’s behaviour in general. A hilarious tale will attract more readers, and a humorous film will attract more viewers. This is because they provide amusement and a break from the monotony of life. Hilarious criticism is more effective, hence writers and filmmakers frequently include humorous components in their work as well as scathing comments and criticism.

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6 – Poets And Pancakes

As students preparing for their board exams have no time to waste, they are always on the lookout for convenient ways to learn all the topics covered in the syllabus. Poets and Pancakes Class 12 NCERT Solutions are available in a PDF format on Vedantu and students can download them for free. By going through these NCERT Solutions, students will become familiar with the question pattern for the Class 12 English exam. These NCERT Solutions provide accurate answers to all the textbook questions and exercises for this chapter. Drafted by experts with in-depth industry knowledge, these solutions give students a step-by-step answer guide. They can access it both online and offline as per their convenience. 

NCERT Solutions Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6

The chapter Poets and Pancakes is taken from the book titled ‘My Years With The Boss.’ Asokamitran has written this book, and he talks about his days at the Gemini Studios and all the factors that kept it running, in this chapter. It was quite a famous film studio back in those days. Asokamitran was a poet and had joined the studio hoping to become an actor, director, or a lyricist one day. The author worked in a cubicle, and his job was to collect newspaper cuttings.

Further, in the story, we learn about the film industry in India. It also provides the readers with a glimpse of the origin of an Independent India. The author first writes about the make-up department. He learns that ‘Pancakes’ is a make-up brand used by the studio. He thought that all the extra make-up on the actors made them look ugly, and would often make fun of them. He also writes about his experiences with the people he meets in the studio. In the chapter, we learn about the film industry in detail, its functioning, and post-independence India. The chapter also tells how make-up, Subbu, the lawyer, and other elements added to the success of Gemini Studios.