Poets and Pancakes is Chapter 6 in the Class 12 English Flamingo textbook. It’s written by Asokamitran, a well-known Tamil writer, and is based on his personal experience working in the publicity department of Gemini Studios in Chennai during the 1940s and 1950s. The chapter is full of light humour, daily office drama, and little observations about film studio life. It talks about makeup artists, office gossip, and even serious political ideas that floated around back then. Through this, we get a mix of fun and reflection that helps us understand a unique part of Indian cultural history.
I wanted to write about this chapter because most students find it confusing at first. The title itself is strange—what do poets have to do with pancakes? But once I read it properly, I realised that this story captures a lot more than makeup or movies. It shows how workplaces used to run, how people interacted, and how creative spaces were not always what we imagine them to be. Many students ignore this chapter thinking it’s unimportant, but actually, it has come in board exams multiple times. It’s full of real-life examples and can be very scoring if understood well. That’s why I’ve explained it here in a simple way, along with a free NCERT PDF link for easy revision.
Summary of Poets and Pancakes by Asokamitran
The chapter takes us inside the famous Gemini Studios in Chennai, where the author worked. He shares his day-to-day experiences and the people he met. The tone is light and slightly sarcastic, making the reading enjoyable.
Key Highlights from the Chapter:
- Pancake is not food:
Here, Pancake refers to a makeup brand that was used heavily in the studios. It was applied to every actor and actress under bright lights. - Makeup Room Chaos:
The makeup room was filled with mirrors, bright lights and a lot of heat. Artists were transformed into gods and goddesses, and sometimes even animals for mythological films. - Daily Drama at Work:
The office was full of people doing all kinds of work—from makeup men and clerks to poets who had nothing to do with movies. The author gives us funny insights into how people behaved, gossiped and passed time. - Visit of a Poet:
One of the main events is when a famous English poet, identified later as Stephen Spender, visited the studio. Most people didn’t understand his speech, and it led to confusion. - Politics and Art:
The chapter also touches on anti-communist sentiment. Many people in the studio were left-leaning, but didn’t fully understand global politics. This made them uncomfortable when someone from England spoke against communism. - Asokamitran’s Own Journey:
The author ends with his own reflection. Though he did small jobs, his time at Gemini Studios gave him exposure to writing and later helped him become a full-time writer.
Key Themes in Poets and Pancakes
- Irony of Creative Spaces:
Film studios seem glamorous, but the people inside often do boring and repetitive jobs. - Communication Gap:
Many employees at Gemini Studios couldn’t understand English well, which led to confusion when foreign guests visited. - Creativity vs Practicality:
The chapter shows how people who wanted to be poets ended up doing other jobs for survival. - Satire on Studio Culture:
Asokamitran uses subtle humour to comment on the chaos, ego clashes and useless bureaucracy inside the studio.
Download PDF – NCERT Class 12 Flamingo Chapter 6
You can get the full Poets and Pancakes chapter directly from this website in PDF format. It’s 100% free and useful for both last-minute reading and detailed revision.
NCERT Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 6: Poets and Pancakes
