Monday, June 13, 2011

Gemini Ganesan remembered

Narayani Ganesh releases her book on her father



Songs like Lahiri Lahiri and Brindavanamuplaying softly, created the mood for an evening when Gemini Ganesan was remembered at Taj Deccan on Saturday.

Special memories
Narayani Ganesh, a journalist by profession reminisced of her father and how she came to write the book, Eternal Romantic My Father Gemini Ganesan in conversation with Jyotirmaya Sharma. The book was a result of a conversation with Kushwant Singh who pushed and prodded her into filling pages with memories of her father. The process of writing the book was not effortless, but it was spontaneous and helped her understand her father better, she said. She made it clear that her book was not a typical biography but a tribute to her father. She recalled the times when she felt it was impossible to stay angry with her father because he was simple man.

She spoke of how her father would make dosas and toss them into her plate with a smirk. Narayani Ganesh also mentioned that her mother was always there in her ‘mindscape' when she was writing the book which helped her achieve the balance of affection in it.

Narayani went on to read passages from her book, about his childhood and his college days at Madras Christian College. Narayani released the book amidst her close friends and her sisters. Shankar S. Melkote was asked to unveil the book. Akkineni Nageswara Rao, however could not make it to the event due to ill health. Veteran actress, Jamuna made an appearance later in the evening and spoke at length about Gemini Ganesan, co-star in two of his films.

The evening ended on a nostalgic note with a brief screening of Gemini Ganesan's films .