The Many Faces of Suresh Gopi, the Protagonist of BJP's Kerala Story

'Gopi's win is because of his popularity, and because of apolitical votes. He said so himself,' said an expert.

Suresh Gopi's poll campaign in Thrissur was built on how the constituency would get its first Union minister if he's voted to power.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

Suresh Gopi has had the week of his (political) life. After opening the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) account in the 'impenetrable' Kerala (which is no mean feat), the actor-turned-politician took oath as a Minister of State in the NDA 3.0 government on Sunday, 9 June.

But like many of his acclaimed crime dramas, the week was not without twists and turns.

Speaking to the media after the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, the MoS said he wished to quit his post as minister and return to his constituency Thrissur and keep working in films.

"I want to work as an MP. My stand was that I didn't want it (MoS post). I had told (the party) that I was not interested in it. I think I will be relieved soon... The people of Thrissur know it very well. I will perform very well as an MP. I want to act in films. Let the party decide..." 65-year-old Gopi told a Malayalam news channel.

A day later, he went back on his statement and tweeted: "A few media platforms are spreading the incorrect news that I am going to resign from the Council of Ministers of the (Narendra) Modi government. This is grossly incorrect."

The same day, he was allocated the portfolios of tourism and petroleum.

Gopi's entire poll campaign in Thrissur was built on how the constituency would get its first Union minister if he's voted to power. To quote one of his iconic dialogues in a Malayalam film: Just remember that!

This billboard at Swaraj Round in Thrissur reads: 'A Union Minister for Thrissur is Modi's Guarantee'.

(Photo: Meenakshy Sasikumar)

His back and forth, perhaps, isn't too surprising. Gopi has been 'a man of antics' – in the words of political commentators in the state.  

An 'Apolitical' Win?

Suresh Gopi has dabbled in politics – as part of different political fronts – all his life.

As a college student in Kerala's Kollam district in the 1970s, he was an active member of the Students' Federation of India, the student wing of the CPI(M). He was also part of the Save Silent Valley movement, an environmental agitation against a proposed hydroelectric project in Palakkad.

Fast forward to the 2006 Assembly elections – when Gopi campaigned for both the United Democratic Front (led by the Congress) and the Left Democratic Front (led by the CPI(M)) in Kerala.

No wonder then that after his 2024 Lok Sabha win, Gopi thanked not only his 'political guru' Narendra Modi, but also Congress leaders like Indira Gandhi and Morarji Desai, and Communist leader EK Nayanar, among others, knowing well he shouldn't forget the larger Kerala political picture.

Incidentally, he defeated Congress candidate K Muraleedharan – the son of late Kerala chief minister and Congress leader K Karunakaran, who Gopi is said to be an admirer of.

"Suresh Gopi's win is not just an RSS or a BJP win. It is because of his popularity, and because of 'apolitical' votes. He has said it so himself. He is someone who claims to be apolitical," remarked a political analyst who did not wish to be named.

In a recent interview with The Week, Gopi had said: "The voting mind has moved from a political ecosystem to an apolitical ecosystem. The voters have changed, and we [BJP] have benefited [from it]."

"Perhaps, by claiming it was apolitical votes that helped him, he is trying to communicate to the BJP that this is a 'popular' win, and not a 'Hindutva' win," the analyst added.

From Films to Politics

With over 250 films in multiple languages to his credit, Suresh Gopi made his debut in Malayalam cinema as a child actor in the 1965 film Odayil Ninnu.

From the latter half of the 1980s, he has played several obscure roles – and some supporting roles in films heralded by 'superstars' Mohanlal and Mammootty. In 1993, he played a central role in Fazil's psychological thriller Manichitrathazhu, which was remade in multiple languages, including Bhool Bhulaiyaa in Hindi.

But it was with the 1997 film Kaliyattam (an adaptation of Othello by director Jayaraj) that Gopi garnered national acclaim; he was awarded the National Award and Kerala State Award for the same role in 1998.

Through the 1990s and 2000s, Gopi also played multiple roles of a police officer – always on the side of justice, always a hypermasculine hero.

Some of his iconic dialogues that Malayalis love putting to use in their everyday lives originated from Commissioner (1994), FIR (1999), Tiger (2005), and Chinthamani Kolacase (2006), among others. Interestingly, Gopi, who was born in Kerala's Alappuzha, wanted to be an IPS officer, OnManorama reported.

But by late 2000s, Gopi's stardom began fading. With a new wave of Malayalam cinema hitting the screens, Kerala's hero-worshipping era came to a reluctant close, forcing not just Gopi, but other 'superstars' to adapt to more character roles.

From 2012 to 2015, Gopi returned to the small screen as the host of the Malayalam version of 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire', where he showed his 'philanthropic side' to the Malayali audience. He had started a charitable trust in the name of his daughter Lakshmi, who he had lost in a tragic accident.

His political career started in 2016. In a surprise nomination, he was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP. He joined the party and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and 2021 Assembly elections from Thrissur unsuccessfully.

A Controversial Figure

Just as his stardom waned, his image, too, took a beating over some of his comments and actions, which drew public ire.

Last October, a case was registered against the actor for allegedly behaving inappropriately with a woman journalist on camera. A video of the incident purportedly showed Gopi placing his hand on the shoulder of the woman journalist while speaking to the media in Kozhikode district.

The journalist had asked him a question about the BJP's inability to secure a Lok Sabha seat in Kerala over the years. In response, Gopi had said, "Let me give it a try, dear. Let us wait."

He had later made matters worse by issuing what many called a "non-apology."

A dominant caste Nair, Gopi has also made remarks that have stirred controversies in the past. In one instance, he said he was "envious of Brahmins and wanted to be reborn as a priest in his next life" so he could tend to Lord Ayyappa at the Sabarimala temple, which drew widespread ire from anti-caste activists. Gopi was also an instrumental figure in the 2018 Sabarimala protests against the temple entry of women.

It's hard not to draw parallels to some of the problematic characters in his films, too. Gopi has played a wide range of political roles, but a monologue from the 1996 film Mahatma – where he plays a dominant caste Hindu – goes like this:

"Thanks to the curse of reservation, you are suffering under the feet of the lower caste people; this is because of your sacred thread, which marks your Brahmanism."

In 2015, Gopi also supported the beef ban in Maharashtra, drawing criticism from many in Kerala.

Before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Gopi had made a statement that gained traction during his campaign: "Thrissur njaanangu edukkuva (I am just going to take Thrissur)." However, as he lost that election and the next one in 2021, his statement was shared widely on social media as a meme.

Third Time's the Charm?

"He is not a serious politician – and Malayalis want their politicians to be serious," a political commentator had told this author in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. After all, Gopi was a 'meme material' for Malayalis on Instagram.

But evidently, his presence on the ground is far more widespread. Despite two successive failures, Gopi helped increase the vote share of the BJP over the years in Thrissur – from 28.19 percent to 37.80 percent in 2024.

"For the past five years or so, Suresh Gopi has been trying to make his presence felt in Thrissur through his charity work and cultural organisations. There's also been a strong social media engineering for him as well," a political expert had told The Quint earlier.

Gopi was also able to sway upper-caste voters in Thrissur, known as the cultural capital of Kerala. The BJP – realising that the party also needed the support of Christians (who make up about 25 percent of the population) – ensured that Gopi frequented churches and met church leaders during his campaigns.

As per the CSDS-Lokniti survey, about 45 percent of Nairs voted for the NDA in Kerala; 32 percent of Ezhavas (OBCs), which is the traditional support base of the LDF, also voted for the NDA. Meanwhile, about 5 percent of Christians in Kerala voted for the BJP, as per the survey.

Gopi is also known to be a confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had visited the Guruvayoor temple to attend Gopi's daughter's wedding earlier this year. This support from the prime minister, who was widely expected to continue for a third term, may have helped shift perceptions in the actor-politician's favour.

(With inputs from OnManorama)