Suresh Gopi’s name in Malayalam cinema
is second only to that of superstars Mohanlal and Mammootty.
Nonetheless, it’s a spot secured by Gopi after much
struggle. Even though his first appearance on silver screen was
as a child artiste in Odayil Ninnu (1965), as an
adult he had to struggle for long doing bit roles like the
villain’s stooge before graduating into a villain. But soon
he started getting lead roles and hit big time with Commissioner
in which he played an upright cop. The action scenes and punchy
dialogues in that film slotted him as an action hero and almost
all his subsequent films featuring him as a cop were hits. They
even had a good run when dubbed into Tamil and Telugu. Ensconced
safely in the superstar bracket, Suresh has now signed a film
with Vijaykanth and another film with Ajith in Tamil. His recent
hits have been Satyameva Jayate and Patram.
He also won the best actor award at the state and national level
for his role in Kaliyattom.ThatsMalayalam.cjb.net caught up with the actor who spoke about his career and the pitfalls of his ‘cop’ image.
Excerpts:
Satyameva Jayate's success must have been a happy moment for you?
In fact, I don’t see any reason to feel excited as it is yet another police film, which I have been doing regularly. I am not blaming anybody for it but blame myself for repeating the same old cop and thief storyline.
But you can attempt some variations in the cop’s roles?
All you can do is bring in different situations but it will still remain the story of an upright cop against the corrupt and powerful.
As a star you can effect changes in the script to bring about a variation.
(Laughs) Before a movie starts the director agrees to everything you might suggest but when the movie begins to progress you find changes coming in. Then you realise that what you had earlier agreed to is not in the picture at all and it ends up as a usual film. However, these films run and you don’t have an answer.
At some point in your career you stopped doing action roles and did films like Kaliyattom. Now why the reversal?
I did different roles in Saphalyam, Kaliyattom and Padmarajan’s Innale . Unfortunately they failed at the box office and when my action films clicked I got bracketed in the action mould. I now consider acting profession only as a means to earn my livelihood as it no longer excites me. I get more excited when I do farming or singing.
Any plans to pursue singing?
I am lucky that my wife Radhika is a singer and encourages me. I recall the day when I went to see her along with my colleague, actor Thirupunithara. My friend asked her to sing and she sang in Kalyani raga. Music unites us both and is a great balm to our heavy hearts.
You seem to be very depressed.
Yes, after my father’s death I seem to be getting very philosophical about life. The friends who were supposed to be with me never cared to comfort me in times of depression. In fact, some did not even bother to come and meet me.
How come you are not part of the CPM channel, Malayalam, like the other two superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal?
Nobody invited me.
Do you have any political ambition?
None at the moment.
Are you now getting into Tamil films?
Let’s see. In the beginning I tried to get into Tamil films but they rejected me even though my father was a distributor of Tamil films in Kerala. Now, they are after me because of my increasing popularity in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It’s all God’s wish.