Gemini dead, Rekha misses funeral

CHENNAI: Popular Tamil film hero of yesteryear and 'King of Romance', Gemini Ganesan, known for sober essaying of roles, died in Chennai early on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. Aged 84, Ganesan is survived by his wife, 'Bobji' T R Alamelu, seven daughters, including Hindi actress Rekha, and a son. He had been ailing since November last and breathed his last at 1.15 am, his family members said.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha and DMK President M Karunanidhi, who had been a part of the Tamil film industry, were among the galaxy of personalities who placed wreaths on the body of Gemini and paid their respects. "A chapter of Tamil cinema has come to an end," Karunanidhi said. Rekha, who is shooting for a film in Kulu Manali in Himachal Pradesh, could not not attend the funeral. Among his last films was Avvai Shanmukhi, in which as an elderly widower he fawns over the lady help portrayed by Kamala Haasan, which was remade in Hindi as "Chachi 420". One of the big three of the Tamil cinema along with the late MGR and Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini earned the sobriquet 'Kadal Mannan' (King of Romance) for his easy acting and portrayal of subtle emotions, especially in love scenes. Several of his films were box-office hits between 1950 and 1970, his heydays. He paired with top heroines, including Savitri, whom he eventually married, Vyjayanthi Mala, Sowcar Janaki and Devika. Vanjikottai Valiban, Kalyana Parisu, Pasamalar, Iru Kodugal and Then Nilavu are some his memorable films. Ganesan, Padmashree awardee in 1971, had also bagged several top hounours, including the "Kalaimamani", "MGR Gold Medal" and "Screen Lifetime Achievement Award". Hailing from an orthodox Brahmin family, he was one of the few graduates to enter the film world those days. After a brief spell as a lecturer at the Madras Christian College, he joined the Gemini Studios as a production executive in 1947, which gave him the title "Gemini". After doing secondary roles in a few films, he was made hero by AVM Productions at the age of 30 and Penn and Kanavane Kankanda Deivam gave him the star status. From then on, he never looked back. Her acted in over 200 films in all the southern languages and some in Hindi. He carved a niche with his portrayal of largely soft characters without exaggeration. Unlike his other star contemporaries, Sivaji Ganesan and MGR, Gemini never tried his hand in politics.