S. S. Vasan

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 was 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 until his death in 1969. Vasan was born in Thiruthuraipoondi in the then Thanjavur 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 had been published by Budalur Vaidyanadhaiyar since February 1926 and had 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 (film), Sansar, Insaniyat, Paigham, Raj Tilak, Ghunghat, Grahasti, Gharana, Zindagi, Aurat, Shatranj, Vazhkai Padagu, Motor Sundaram Pillai, Olivilakku, Chakradhari, Avvaiyar and Irumbu Thirai.