Moorkoth Vengakandy Shankaran or MV Shankaran, fondly called Gemini Shankarettan, one of the pioneers of the circus industry in the country, passed away on Sunday, April 23, at his house in Kerala’s Kannur. He was 98 years old and suffered from age-related health problems. Founder of the Gemini Circus and the Jumbo Circus, Shankaran was a very popular figure across the country.
Gemini Shankaran played a major role in making Indian circus world renowned, Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan noted, in a statement condoling his death. “He played a major role in bringing timely, modern changes to Indian circus. He developed the industry by including the works of foreign artists and their circus arts in Indian circus,” CM Pinarayi stated.
Shankaran grew up with five siblings in Thalassery of Kannur in the 1920s and 30s. He dropped out of school in Class 7 and later opened a retail shop in Thalassery. But when the Second World War began, Shankaran quit his business and joined the military service. After the war, he joined a circus school and trained under MK Raman, before joining the Boselion circus troupe in Kolkata as a trapeze artiste. He also worked with the Great Rayman Circus before founding his own circus troupe in 1951.
Gemini was founded on Independence Day in 1951 by Shankaran and K Sahadevan. The circus troupe became so successful that Shankaran led a team that represented India at the World Circus Festival in 1964. Gemini became international when Shankaran, with a few others, founded the Gemini International Circus.
When the Rayon circus ran into crisis, Shankaran bought it and renamed it Jumbo Circus, in 1977. The name was inspired by the then recently introduced Jumbo Jet.
Gemini Shankaran with former PM Jawaharlal Nehru
Through the years, he maintained friendships with various Prime Ministers, Presidents, world leaders, and eminent personalities.
Later, his sons Ajay Shankar and Ashok Shankar took over the reins of the circus companies. The family also owns the Great Royal Circus. Shankaran’s daughter Renu Shankar lives abroad, and his wife VP Shobhana was an advocate.
Read from archive: