Suresh Gopi is a name that resonates with millions of fans across India and abroad. He is one of the most versatile and popular actors in Malayalam cinema, who has also made his mark in Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films. He is also a politician, a playback singer, a TV host and a social activist, who has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.
He is known for his powerful performances as police and army officers in action-oriented movies, as well as for his roles in critically acclaimed films like Kaliyattam, Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha, Innale and Bharathchandran I.P.S.
Birthday, Mom, Dad and Education
Suresh Gopi was born on 26 June 1958 (age: 65 years, as of 2023) in Kollam, Kerala, India, to K. Gopinathan Pillai, a film distributor, and V. Gnanalekshmi Amma. He was the eldest of four brothers, with three younger brothers named Subhash Gopi, Sunil Gopi and Sanil Gopi. He grew up in Kollam and developed an interest in films after watching Kamal Haasan movies.
He completed his schooling at the Infant Jesus Anglo-Indian School and Fatima Mata National College in Kollam. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and a Master of Arts degree in English Literature at Kerala University in 1982.
Suresh Gopi Wiki/Bio
| Name | Suresh Gopi |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Suresh Gopinathan Pillai |
| Born | 26 June 1958 (age 65) |
| Birth place | Kollam, Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Malayali |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Occupation | Actor, politician, playback singer, TV host |
| Years active | 1965, 1986–present |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) |
| Spouse | Radhika Nair (m. 1990) |
| Children | 5, including Gokul Suresh |
| Parents | K. Gopinathan Pillai, V. Gnanalekshmi Amma |
| Relatives | Aranmula Ponnamma (grandmother-in-law) |
| Residence | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
| Education | University of Kerala |
| Awards | National Film Award, Kerala State Film Award, and others |
Film Career
Suresh Gopi made his debut as a child artist in 1965 by playing a small role in Odayil Ninnu. He later made his debut as an adult in 1986 with an uncredited role in Niramulla Ravulkal. He gained attention through the minor role of a prospective groom in T. P. Balagopalan M. A. (1986). He went on to play antagonistic and supporting roles in more than 80 films in the next few years. He was noted for his villain role in Irupatham Noottandu (1987), which was the highest-grossing Malayalam movie of that time. He had a major supporting role as Harry in Oru CBI Diary Kurippu (1988), which was also the highest-grossing film at the time. His comic role as Sub Inspector Minnal Prathapan in Manu Uncle (1988) has over the years attained a cult status.
His portrayal of Dr. Narendran in Padmarajan’s Innale (1990) was critically acclaimed and is considered by fans and critics to be one of the best performances of his career. He also gained a lot of praise for his portrayal of Aromal Chekavar in the 1989 classic Oru Vadakkan Veeragatha. He played another memorable cameo comic role as Christopher Luke, a professional killer in Nagarangalil Chennu Raparkam (1989). His other notable movies during the late 1980s include Bhoomiyile Rajakkanmar, New Delhi (1987), Moonnam Mura, 1921 (1988), Varnam, Douthyam, Nair Saab (1989).
Suresh Gopi’s career took a turn in 1992, when he played the lead role of Bharathchandran, an honest and brave police officer, in Sathyan Anthikad’s Commissioner. The film was a huge hit and established him as a superstar and an action hero. He reprised the role of Bharathchandran in three more films: The King (1995), Bharathchandran I.P.S. (2005) and The King & the Commissioner (2012). He also played similar roles of police and army officers in many other successful films like Ekalavyan (1993), Mafia (1993), Lelam (1997), Pathram (1999), F.I.R. (1999), Narasimham (2000), Chinthamani Kolacase (2006) and Christian Brothers (2011).
He also experimented with different genres and characters in films like Kaliyattam (1997), a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Othello, for which he won the National Film Award and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor, Summer in Bethlehem (1998), a romantic comedy, Thakshashila (1999), a historical drama, Apothecary (2014), a medical thriller, and I (2015), a sci-fi action film, in which he played a negative role. He has also acted in some Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi films, such as Thalapathi (1991), Drohi (1992), Rudraksham (1994), Time Bomb (1999), Dhruva (2016) and Kaasi (2018).
Suresh Gopi has also been a playback singer and has sung songs for some of his films, such as Lelam, The King, Bharathchandran I.P.S. and The King & the Commissioner. He has also been a TV host and has anchored the Malayalam version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, called Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran, from 2012 to 2019.
Height, Weight
- Height: 6 ft 1 in (185.4 cm)
- Weight: 80 kg (176 lbs)
- Eye color: Black
- Hair color: Black
Political Career
Suresh Gopi entered politics in 2016, when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, by the President of India. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in October 2016 and became a member of the party’s national executive committee. He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Thrissur constituency, but lost to T. N. Prathapan of the Indian National Congress.
He contested again from Thrissur seat in the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly elections, but could not win and came third. He is currently a member of the Committee on Information Technology and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Civil Aviation in the Rajya Sabha. He is also the chairman of the Suresh Gopi Foundation, a charitable organization that works for the welfare of the poor and the needy.
PM Modi Blesses Suresh Gopi’s Daughter and Other Couples at Guruvayur Temple
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to the Sree Krishna temple in Guruvayur, Kerala, on Wednesday morning, where he attended the wedding ceremony of actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi’s daughter, Bhagya Suresh. The Prime Minister, who was dressed in a traditional dhoti and shirt, arrived at the temple by road after landing in Kochi by a helicopter. He was welcomed by the temple authorities and the BJP leaders of the state.
The Prime Minister, who was the chief guest at the wedding, blessed the bride and the groom, who were dressed in a red Kanchipuram saree and a Kerala dhoti and shawl, respectively. The bride, Bhagya Suresh, is the daughter of Suresh Gopi, a Rajya Sabha MP and a prominent actor in Malayalam cinema. The groom, Shreyas Mohan, is a businessman from Thrissur. The wedding was held in a traditional Hindu manner at 8:45 am.
The Prime Minister also blessed several other couples who had their weddings at the same venue. He interacted with them and wished them a happy married life. He also had a darshan of the deity of Lord Krishna at the temple and offered prayers. He spent about an hour at the temple before leaving for Kochi.
The wedding ceremony of Suresh Gopi’s daughter was a star-studded affair, as many celebrities from the Malayalam film industry were present to witness the occasion. Some of the prominent names who attended the wedding were Mammootty, Mohanlal, Jayaram, Dileep, and Manju Warrier. They congratulated the newlyweds and posed for pictures with them.
Suresh Gopi expressed his gratitude to the Prime Minister for attending his daughter’s wedding and making it a memorable event. He also thanked the temple authorities and the security personnel for making the arrangements. He shared some photos from the wedding on his social media accounts and mentioned the Prime Minister in his post.
The Prime Minister’s visit to Guruvayur temple was not part of his official schedule, as he was in Kerala to attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He had earlier visited the Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh and performed a pooja there. He also addressed a public meeting in Kochi and inaugurated several development projects in the state.
Personal Life and Family
Suresh Gopi got married to Radhika Nair, the granddaughter of actress Aranmula Ponnamma, on 8 February 1990. The couple has four children: two sons, Gokul Suresh and Madhav Suresh, and two daughters, Bhagya Suresh and Bhavni Suresh. Gokul Suresh is also an actor and has acted in films like Mudhugauv (2016), Ira (2018) and Ulta (2019). Bhagya Suresh got married to businessman Sreyas Mohan on 17 January 2024, in a grand ceremony attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Malayalam superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal. The couple also had another daughter, Lakshmi Suresh, who died in a road accident at the age of one and a half years.
Suresh Gopi is a devout Hindu and follows the rituals and customs of his religion. He is also a devotee of Lord Ayyappa and visits the Sabarimala temple every year. He is also a fitness enthusiast and practices yoga and martial arts regularly. He is fluent in Malayalam, Tamil, English and Hindi languages. He is also fond of reading, traveling, and watching movies.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth in INR |
|---|---|
| 2021 | ₹ 11 Crores 38 Lakhs |
| 2022 | ₹ 20 Crores |
| 2023 | ₹ 21 Crores |
