Discuss in small groups taking off from points in the text.
1. Film-production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios.
2. Poetry and films.
3. Humour and criticism
1. Film-production today has come a long way from the early days of the Gemini Studios.
2. Poetry and films.
3. Humour and criticism
Solution and Explanation
1. Film production is more technical nowadays. While earlier only five per cent of the shooting was done outdoors, nowadays outdoor shooting is no more limited to such a negligible percentage. The cameras and other equipments are more advanced allowing for more varied and accurate presentation. The quality of make-up has improved many folds from the days of the Gemini Studios where only pancake was used. The people involved in various departments are experts in their specialized work, be it the director, producer, scriptwriter, lyricist or the actors. The overall quality of the films is more striking and lively.
2. In India poetry and films are intricately linked. The people at Gemini Studios, all claimed to have the talents of a poet. The main reason behind it was their monotonous and leisurely life at the studios. However, these people were not knowledgeable or educated enough to be poets. Unlike poetry, films can be enjoyed by people with little resources who cannot afford to cultivate taste for poetry and literature.
3. The story is interspersed with instances dipped in subtle humour. The humorous instances, however, make interesting and relevant comments on the behavior of general people. A humorous story has more readers, a humorous film more viewers. This is because they provide entertainment and a respite from the tedious existence. Criticism by means of humour is more effective, hence writers and film-makers often use humorous elements in their works and make sarcastic comments and criticism
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The make-up room had the look of a hair-cutting salon with lights at
all angles around half a dozen large mirrors. They were all
incandescent lights, so you can imagine the fiery misery of those
subjected to make-up. The make-up department was first headed by
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nationally integrated make-up men could turn any decent-looking
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(i) Why does the author compare the make-up room to a salon?
(ii) Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
The term ‘crimson hued monster’ refers to the make-up applied to actors to make them look ugly so that they look \underline{\hspace{1.5cm}} (beautiful/terrified) on screen.
(iii) Complete the following sentence appropriately.
The make-up team’s ability to transform actors reveals two things about their skills:
First, their ___ and second, their use of ___.
(iv) Give textual evidence to prove that the make-up team reflected national integration.
(v) Explain the phrase ‘fiery misery’ with reference to the given extract.
(vi) What does the following line from the extract showcase?
“With the help of truck-loads of pancake and a number of other locally made potions and lotions.”
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(B) normalcy
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At last, around four in the afternoon, the poet (or the editor) arrived. He was a tall man, very English, very serious and of course very unknown to all of us. Battling with half a dozen pedestal fans on the shooting stage, The Boss read out a long speech. It was obvious that he too knew precious little about the poet (or the editor). The speech was all in the most general terms but here and there it was peppered with words like 'freedom' and 'democracy'. Then the poet spoke. He couldn't have addressed a more dazed and silent audience — no one knew what he was talking about and his accent defeated any attempt to understand what he was saying.
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