S. S. Vasan

S. S. Vasan

Birth : 1904-01-04, Thiruthuraipoondi, Madras Presidency, British India

Death : 1969-08-26

History

Subramaniam Srinivasan (4 January 1904 – 26 August 1969), popularly known by his screen name S. S. Vasan, was an Indian journalist, writer, advertiser, film producer, director and business tycoon. He is the founder of the Tamil-language magazine Ananda Vikatan and the film production company Gemini Studios, Gemini Film Laboratories and Gemini Picture Circuit. He was a member of parliament (Rajya Sabha) from 1964 and served his term till his death. Vasan was born in Thiruthuraipoondi in the then Tanjore district but was forced to migrate to Madras following the death of his father at an early age. Vasan discontinued his studies before graduation and set up a flourishing mail order and advertising business. In 1928, Vasan purchased a struggling Tamil magazine Ananda Vikatan that was published by Pudhoor Vaidyanadhaiyar since February 1926 and has stopped publication in December 1927. Vasan bought the publication in January 1928 and relaunched it with the same name but in a different format from February 1928. Ananda Vikatan, subsequently, emerged as the leading Tamil magazine in the then Madras Presidency and continues to be the oldest and most respected Tamil magazine till this day. Vasan entered the Tamil film industry in 1936 when his novel Sathi Leelavathi was made into a film. In 1940, he purchased the Motion Picture Producers Combine, a film studio and renamed it Gemini Studios. Gemini Studios made a number of successful Tamil, Telugu and Hindi movies from 1940 to 1969, notable ones being Mangamma Sapatham, "Aboorva Sagotharargal, "Nandanaar", "Bala Nagamma", Miss Malini, Chandralekha, Vanjikkottai Valiban, "Nishaan", "Mangala", "Insaaniyat", "Grahasti", "Gharana", "Zindagi", "Vazhkai Padagu", "Motor Sundaram Pillai", "Olivilakku", "Chakradhari", "Aurat", "Avvaiyar", "Paigham" and Irumbu Thirai. Vasan also directed some of his later movies, the first being Chandralekha, which is considered by critics and film historians to be a milestone in Indian cinema. Vasan died in Madras on 26 August 1969, at the age of 65. Vasan was an accomplished writer and translator and a hugely successful journalist. As a director, Vasan was known for his grandiose sets and innovative techniques that he introduced. Film historian Randor Guy hailed Vasan as the "Cecil B. De Mille of India". He was the first film and media personality to be invited to be a member of parliament in India's Rajya Sabha where he advocated the granting of industry status to the film trade (a battle still being fought). He was one of the founders of Film Federation India, Producer's Guild of India and the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1969, the year of his death, by the government of India for his extraordinary contribution to Indian media. The Government of India and the Postal department released postage stamps bearing his likeness on 26 August 2004, the year of his centenary.

Profile

S. S. Vasan

Movies

Vilaiyaattu Pillai
Producer
Shatranj
Director
Jai is hired to locate the daughter and wife of a wealthy man after they vanish under mysterious circumstances
Oli Vilakku
Producer
Teen Bahuraniyan
Director
Teen Bahuraniyan (English: Three Daughters-In-Law) is a 1968 family comedy movie. The film is a remake of 1967 Tamil movie Bama Vijayam (Bama's Visit). The film's three lead ladies reprise their roles from the original movie. Teen Bahuraniyan is family story of 3 daughter in laws and their husbands. The movie shows how their relations takes different colour at various situations and how the father Prithviraj Kapoor plays vital role in the family to keep things going.
Aurat
Producer
A woman responsible for her mother and 7 siblings faces challenges after marrying a widower with 6 children.
Aurat
Director
A woman responsible for her mother and 7 siblings faces challenges after marrying a widower with 6 children.
Motor Sundaram Pillai
Producer
A man runs a successful business and visits his large family only on weekends. When the marriages of his 2 children and his nephew are about to be fixed, a secret about his life threatens to ruin all.
Vazhkai Padagu
Producer
A young attractive and unemployed woman Seetha(Devika) taking up stage acting as a career. A wealthy man Kannabiran(K. Balaji) is after her, and uses his henchman(R. S. Manohar) to kidnap her. During the attempt, Rajan (Gemini Ganesan) and his clever dog Honey rescue her and the two fall in love. Rajan is the son of a Zamindar (S. V. Ranga Rao), who has a poor opinion of Seetha. However, after many hurdles, the two marry. The director of Seetha's stage troupe Gopal (R. Muthuraman) too is in love with her. But, she never responds. When Kannabiran is murdered. Gopal is arrested. He has an alibi - on the night of the murder, a young woman stayed with him in his house, but then he does not disclose her identity. The woman turns out to be Seetha and she gives them the evidence. One of the members of the jury is her father-in-law and complications follow with the husband leaving her and wishing to marry again. However, the truth comes out and the family is united in the end.
Grahasti
Producer
Drama about a large Indian family coping with revelations about the fathers past.
Gharana
Producer
A mother and daughter create bitterness, hatred, acrimony and discord in a wealthy family.
Gharana
Director
A mother and daughter create bitterness, hatred, acrimony and discord in a wealthy family.
Irumbu Thirai
Director
Paigham
Director
Widowed Mrs. Lal lives with her two sons, Ram and Ratan; an unmarried daughter, Sheela; Ram's wife, Parvati and her children. While Ram is employed in a mill, Ratan is studying engineering in Calcutta. When Ratan returns, he is offered a job at the same mill, falls in love with a Typist named Manju, much to chagrin of Malti, the daughter of the mill-owner, Sewakram. When Ratan finds out that Sewakram has been defrauding the employees, he decides to form a union, a move that is opposed by Ram, who is very devoted and loyal to Sewakram.
Vanjikottai Valiban
Producer
Vanjikkottai Valiban is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language romance film written by Gemini Studios story department consisting of K. J. Mahadevan, C. Srinivasan and Kothamangalam Subbu while the film was directed and produced by S. S. Vasan. It stars Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala in lead with Padmini, P.S. Veerappa, T. K. Shanmugam, Pasupuleti Kannamba, Vijayakumari, K. A. Thangavelu and M. S. Sundari Bai as the ensemble cast of the film.
Vanjikottai Valiban
Director
Vanjikkottai Valiban is a 1958 Indian Tamil-language romance film written by Gemini Studios story department consisting of K. J. Mahadevan, C. Srinivasan and Kothamangalam Subbu while the film was directed and produced by S. S. Vasan. It stars Gemini Ganesan and Vyjayanthimala in lead with Padmini, P.S. Veerappa, T. K. Shanmugam, Pasupuleti Kannamba, Vijayakumari, K. A. Thangavelu and M. S. Sundari Bai as the ensemble cast of the film.
Insaniyat
Director
A once loyal soldier faces many challenges after turning into a rebel.
Bahut Din Hue
Producer
Kidnapped by a villainous sorcerer, young mother Balanagamma (Pushpavalli) remains in captivity for more than 12 years, spurning her captor's sexual advances with claims of being in the midst of a long-term penance ritual. In her absence, her son has grown to adulthood -- and is determined to rescue his missing mother.
Bahut Din Hue
Director
Kidnapped by a villainous sorcerer, young mother Balanagamma (Pushpavalli) remains in captivity for more than 12 years, spurning her captor's sexual advances with claims of being in the midst of a long-term penance ritual. In her absence, her son has grown to adulthood -- and is determined to rescue his missing mother.
Avvaiyyar
Producer
A hagiography of the legendary Tamil saint poetess of the Sangam period.
Chandralekha
Producer
Brothers Veer and Shashank fall in love with Chandralekha. Shashank kidnaps her and forces her to marry him. She requests a special drum dance prior to the wedding. The drums, however, hold a secret.
Chandralekha
Director
Brothers Veer and Shashank fall in love with Chandralekha. Shashank kidnaps her and forces her to marry him. She requests a special drum dance prior to the wedding. The drums, however, hold a secret.
Bala Nagamma
Producer
The story is about Bala Nagamma, a young princess. The King prays for progeny and is blessed with children, the youngest of them is named Bala Nagamma. She is married off to Karyavardi Raju. She is kidnapped by Mayala Marathi who turns her into a dog and takes her to his cave. Once there, he tries to take advantage of her. She keeps him away by quoting some Holy Rites and Pujas that she is involved in. She is a prisoner in the cave for fourteen years, during which time the Fakir's mistress, Sangu, becomes jealous of his obsession with Bala Nagamma. In the meantime, her son Balavardi Raju grows up and discovers the truth about his mother.
Sathi Leelavathi
Story
A wealthy man escapes after shooting his friend in drunken state which results in a drastic change in his life then.