SHARING WITH OUR VENT FRIENDS IN INDIA GIVES US INSIGHT INTO WHAT MAKES A VENT TICK ALSO ALLOWS US TO SEE IF THEY DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT THEN US..... ENJOY MY FRIEND GEORGES BACKGROUND.
WHAT GAVE YOU THE DESIRE TO BECOME A VENT?
Vent: Well, I have seen a live ventriloquism programme of Mr M M Roy in 1975 at Music Academy, Chennai (southern part of India). At that time, I worked as a Clerk in a nationalized Bank. I didn’t know anything about ventriloquism and so, I could not decipher from where the voice was coming. I thought, there was a tape recorder inside the doll. After seeing Actor Kamal Haasan’s Tamil movie, “Avarghal”, I was really fascinated by the art. In 1998, again I had the opportunity of seeing Mr M M Roy’s programme in a Humour Club. Immediately I approached him to find out whether he would teach me. When he said yes, I seized the opportunity.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO LEARN THE ART?
Vent: I have taken roughly 8 months’ time to learn it. I am giving performances during the last eleven years.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TUTOR, MR M.M. ROY.
Vent: He is a professional ventriloquist. He has done more than a 100,000 shows. He has helped in not only teaching and grooming me but also in getting shows. He is the best ventriloquist in India. We are friends now. His age is 81.
WHO INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER?
Vent: Initially in 2001, I saw only two videos… 1) Mr Ron Lucas and 2) A black ventriloquist (name I don’t know). Later in 2005, I had the privilege of seeing Mr Paul Winchell’s video and Mr Bill Boley’s video and books. Recently, Mr Terry Fator has influenced me. My master, Mr M M Roy used to appreciate the manipulation of Mr Edger Bergen. (I came to know from Readers’ Digest that his beautiful daughter acted as a photographer in the movie, “Gandhi”)
SO YOU HAVE MORE THEN 1600 SHOWS TO YOUR , WHO WRITES YOUR SCRIPTS FOR YOU
Vent: I myself. I have attended Humour Clubs for more than a decade. Apart from that, I have got a collection of roughly 100 joke books—both foreign and inland. So I can select the best and the most appropriate jokes for each occasion. I also give continuity while preparing the script to make it natural.
WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT
Vent: When I start the show, I used to talk about the chief guests in an interesting manner. That’s called Adlib.
CAN WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE
Vent: When I saw Mr Thenkatchi Swaminathan in the dais, I told the doll, “He is Mr. Thenkatchi Swaminathan”. The doll asked, “When did he start a new Katchi (Party)?” There was a burst of laughter from the audience. Another specialty in my programme is that I used to wind up my programme with question and answer show. I also offer a song with each doll.
SO YOU LIKE TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN YOUR PROGRAM
Vent: Yes, when I gave a show for Jaycees Club at Chennai, I invited a young boy. I asked him “If a hen lays an egg a day, how many it will lay in a week?” He said “Ten!” I asked him “How?” He replied innocently, “On some days, our hen lays two!” Everybody including his parents had a hearty laugh. Then my doll, Johnny clarified that only six because Sunday is a holiday! (Again laughter)
WHAT ARE THE HIGH LIGHTS IN YOUR CAREER
Vent: I learnt the art at the age of 50 years, when I was a Senior Manager of a Bank. (Now in Sept., 2008, I retired from Bank) 1) So, roughly 10 Newspapers and 5 magazines wrote articles about my ventriloquism career. 2) As I was shown on all the TV channels (except Animal channel!), I became somewhat popular. 3) Four Managing Directors of our Bank apart from many dignitaries witnessed my show.
ARE YOU ADVANCING IN YOUR VENT WORK
Vent: Yes. Recently, I started using two puppets simultaneously by giving two different voices. I also introduced Distant Ventriloquism.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED SO FAR
Vent: After the programme is over, some people ask me whether I am using any tape inside the doll. I’m also using Ventriloquism for child ministry and also in sermons.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS IN VENT AT THIS TIME?
Vent: I want to use “Minus 1” (Caroke) cassettes in my programme to make the songs effective. I practise with two sticks tied with two hands of the puppet to improve its body language. I also purchased a magic plate from USA and started using it. I wish to write a book on ventriloquism routines and come out with 2 Video CDs—one secular and another on the word of God.
B I O D A T A
Name : G A Santhakumar
Designation : Retired as Senior Manager from Indian Bank on 30.9.2008
Qualification : MA, BL, CAIIB
Guru : Mr M M Roy
Performance : More than 1600 shows
TV shows : Performed in Jaya TV, Vijay (Kalakkapovathu Yaaru?), Raj,
Pothigai, Ulagam, and Chutti
Shows performed at : Tuticorin, Cheyyar, Sivakasi, Vellore, Kancheepuram, Tirukoilur,
Villupuram, Cuddalore, Pondicherry, Arkonam, Ooty and
Sholingur, Tiruthani, etc.
Persons enjoyed : M/s Chaaruhasan, Accountant General (AG’s Office), Actor Srikanth,
Pandu, Thenkatchi Swaminathan, Prithiviraj (Bablu), Pandiaraj, Cricketer
Ramesh, Kaniga, S V Sekhar, Maathrubutham, English Women’s Cricket
Team, Lena Tamilvanan, Bagyam Ramasami, 4 MDs of Indian Bank,
Rani Mainthan, Avvai Natarajan, etc.
Dolls : Boy, Monkey, Girl, Dog, crow and Magic Board
Additions : I am also doing magic apart from singing caroake songs and asking
funny/intelligent questions (quiz) with children
Articles published in : English: The Hindu (twice), The New Indian Express, Deccan
Chronicle, Mambalam Times, Mylapore Times and News Pondicherry
Tamil: Ananda Vikatan Deepavali Malar, Dinamani Kadir, Ladies
Special Deepavali Malar, Thanga Mangai, Uratha Sinthanai, Vanigar
Cheithi, Triplicane Times and Ananda Jokes
Telugu: Eenaadu
Quotes from articles : “Humour is the choice through voice” – The Hindu
“Banker by profession and ventriloquist by passion” – The Hindu
“Bank Officer turns ventriloquist for kids” – Deccan Chronicle
“Johnny, Raani and jaali”—Vikatan Deepavali Malar
WHAT GAVE YOU THE DESIRE TO BECOME A VENT?
Vent: Well, I have seen a live ventriloquism programme of Mr M M Roy in 1975 at Music Academy, Chennai (southern part of India). At that time, I worked as a Clerk in a nationalized Bank. I didn’t know anything about ventriloquism and so, I could not decipher from where the voice was coming. I thought, there was a tape recorder inside the doll. After seeing Actor Kamal Haasan’s Tamil movie, “Avarghal”, I was really fascinated by the art. In 1998, again I had the opportunity of seeing Mr M M Roy’s programme in a Humour Club. Immediately I approached him to find out whether he would teach me. When he said yes, I seized the opportunity.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO LEARN THE ART?
Vent: I have taken roughly 8 months’ time to learn it. I am giving performances during the last eleven years.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TUTOR, MR M.M. ROY.
Vent: He is a professional ventriloquist. He has done more than a 100,000 shows. He has helped in not only teaching and grooming me but also in getting shows. He is the best ventriloquist in India. We are friends now. His age is 81.
WHO INFLUENCED YOUR CAREER?
Vent: Initially in 2001, I saw only two videos… 1) Mr Ron Lucas and 2) A black ventriloquist (name I don’t know). Later in 2005, I had the privilege of seeing Mr Paul Winchell’s video and Mr Bill Boley’s video and books. Recently, Mr Terry Fator has influenced me. My master, Mr M M Roy used to appreciate the manipulation of Mr Edger Bergen. (I came to know from Readers’ Digest that his beautiful daughter acted as a photographer in the movie, “Gandhi”)
SO YOU HAVE MORE THEN 1600 SHOWS TO YOUR , WHO WRITES YOUR SCRIPTS FOR YOU
Vent: I myself. I have attended Humour Clubs for more than a decade. Apart from that, I have got a collection of roughly 100 joke books—both foreign and inland. So I can select the best and the most appropriate jokes for each occasion. I also give continuity while preparing the script to make it natural.
WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT
Vent: When I start the show, I used to talk about the chief guests in an interesting manner. That’s called Adlib.
CAN WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE
Vent: When I saw Mr Thenkatchi Swaminathan in the dais, I told the doll, “He is Mr. Thenkatchi Swaminathan”. The doll asked, “When did he start a new Katchi (Party)?” There was a burst of laughter from the audience. Another specialty in my programme is that I used to wind up my programme with question and answer show. I also offer a song with each doll.
SO YOU LIKE TO INCLUDE CHILDREN IN YOUR PROGRAM
Vent: Yes, when I gave a show for Jaycees Club at Chennai, I invited a young boy. I asked him “If a hen lays an egg a day, how many it will lay in a week?” He said “Ten!” I asked him “How?” He replied innocently, “On some days, our hen lays two!” Everybody including his parents had a hearty laugh. Then my doll, Johnny clarified that only six because Sunday is a holiday! (Again laughter)
WHAT ARE THE HIGH LIGHTS IN YOUR CAREER
Vent: I learnt the art at the age of 50 years, when I was a Senior Manager of a Bank. (Now in Sept., 2008, I retired from Bank) 1) So, roughly 10 Newspapers and 5 magazines wrote articles about my ventriloquism career. 2) As I was shown on all the TV channels (except Animal channel!), I became somewhat popular. 3) Four Managing Directors of our Bank apart from many dignitaries witnessed my show.
ARE YOU ADVANCING IN YOUR VENT WORK
Vent: Yes. Recently, I started using two puppets simultaneously by giving two different voices. I also introduced Distant Ventriloquism.
AND WHAT HAVE YOU ACHIEVED SO FAR
Vent: After the programme is over, some people ask me whether I am using any tape inside the doll. I’m also using Ventriloquism for child ministry and also in sermons.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS IN VENT AT THIS TIME?
Vent: I want to use “Minus 1” (Caroke) cassettes in my programme to make the songs effective. I practise with two sticks tied with two hands of the puppet to improve its body language. I also purchased a magic plate from USA and started using it. I wish to write a book on ventriloquism routines and come out with 2 Video CDs—one secular and another on the word of God.
B I O D A T A
Name : G A Santhakumar
Designation : Retired as Senior Manager from Indian Bank on 30.9.2008
Qualification : MA, BL, CAIIB
Guru : Mr M M Roy
Performance : More than 1600 shows
TV shows : Performed in Jaya TV, Vijay (Kalakkapovathu Yaaru?), Raj,
Pothigai, Ulagam, and Chutti
Shows performed at : Tuticorin, Cheyyar, Sivakasi, Vellore, Kancheepuram, Tirukoilur,
Villupuram, Cuddalore, Pondicherry, Arkonam, Ooty and
Sholingur, Tiruthani, etc.
Persons enjoyed : M/s Chaaruhasan, Accountant General (AG’s Office), Actor Srikanth,
Pandu, Thenkatchi Swaminathan, Prithiviraj (Bablu), Pandiaraj, Cricketer
Ramesh, Kaniga, S V Sekhar, Maathrubutham, English Women’s Cricket
Team, Lena Tamilvanan, Bagyam Ramasami, 4 MDs of Indian Bank,
Rani Mainthan, Avvai Natarajan, etc.
Dolls : Boy, Monkey, Girl, Dog, crow and Magic Board
Additions : I am also doing magic apart from singing caroake songs and asking
funny/intelligent questions (quiz) with children
Articles published in : English: The Hindu (twice), The New Indian Express, Deccan
Chronicle, Mambalam Times, Mylapore Times and News Pondicherry
Tamil: Ananda Vikatan Deepavali Malar, Dinamani Kadir, Ladies
Special Deepavali Malar, Thanga Mangai, Uratha Sinthanai, Vanigar
Cheithi, Triplicane Times and Ananda Jokes
Telugu: Eenaadu
Quotes from articles : “Humour is the choice through voice” – The Hindu
“Banker by profession and ventriloquist by passion” – The Hindu
“Bank Officer turns ventriloquist for kids” – Deccan Chronicle
“Johnny, Raani and jaali”—Vikatan Deepavali Malar
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