In movies, you have played superhuman characters who make impossible things possible. For BJP too, you have done the same thing...
I don’t think so. It was never impossible. Time was the factor. The duration which was required was taken to make it happen. There is no superhuman touch to this. Please don’t undervalue it. Even in films, I don’t think I have done many superhuman roles. I have always stood the ground. Even my characters have been local, addressing local issues. I think that has slowly crept into my character and the timbre of my mental behaviour pattern. How can you call that superhuman? No!
Suresh Gopi, both as a politician and actor, is seen as someone who communicates with his heart...
My nature is very much like that. In Tamil, MGR says a particular word and so does Rajinikanth. Both are my all-time favourites. Even Jayalalithaa. And also Kamaraj. Kamaraj is of the Congress. I haven’t seen Annadurai but I’ve heard about him and I adore him. We can’t see politics in it. Individuals count.
During college days, you were attracted to SFI...
Not attracted, actually. In those years, you won’t call love as romance, rather it was the infatuation of immature minds. The same was the case with politics. It was just ganging up. My friend was SFI, so I became SFI (laughs out).
So, wasn’t it an ideological fascination?
I have had that ideological connection only towards socialism. A political deliverer should be a socialist, I believe. Irrespective of whichever movement he is a part of, he has to understand the soil and every object or properties it will present. Only such a person can be a deliverer.
You are an established actor who carries out a lot of charity work. Is politics a continuation of that?
Never. There is a trust that will decide on the charity work. When I hear or see something and decide that it should be attended to, I inform them and they do it. If you come up with applications, then I have not planted a (money-bearing) tree. Mammootty and Mohanlal arrived before me. You carry out a reality check of my wealth and theirs. I’m nowhere near them. Nowhere.
It isn’t about wealth... the question was about your entry into politics...
But you took charity as a connect. So I have to reply to it. Asking whether politics is a continuation of charity is a vicious question.
Do you still carry the roles that you play... like in Commissioner?
Why attach me to just Commissioner? I am a romantic collector, Vinayachandran, in Pranayavarnangal. I am that. I am the collector in Collector. You go check the timbre of the character in that film. You will see Suresh Gopi in that. Is it my fault? My writers and even producers, why did they get me stuck to certain, very regular, run-of-the-mill kind of films? That fetched them money and they knew I was well-versed in that genre. They were the first real politicians who found the people’s man in me.
Which means you carry that persona to your real life…
I have to. It gets embedded in your bloodstream.
So, are all these characters inside you?
Yes. If you ask me, it isn’t the politician that you see in me. It’s these characters. You will have to blame the writers for having prepared the foundation for the politician and allowed me to grow. You find fault with them, not me.
Was there a particular moment you thought you should be a politician?
No. You ask your prime minister. The 2014 meeting. He thought it was time for me to join the party.
How did Suresh Gopi come on Modi’s radar?
I don’t know (smiles). What he liked was a couple of characters from my movie that Kailashnathan (former chief principal secretary to Gujarat CM) had suggested to him. He told the PM about the gate or window I had to people’s hearts. Muthu (Rajagopal) in Ernakulam was a witness. Ask him about my reply when the PM insisted in the first half hour of the meeting. I told him very politely... I cannot.
And…
After that, many of my films were trashed for having met Modiji. He again asked me whether the time was ripe. I said, no. But in 2015, I had to decide for the sake of Vizhinjam. I presented a plausible methodology for the port. But when I reached home, I saw a TV channel scroll, quoting me as saying that a port is possible in Vizhinjam only if Hindus decide. I couldn’t take that. I had in fact mooted a consortium instead of a corporate owning it. The port should be the people’s property. I said there is a source there. If we pledge it, we can raise Rs 10,000 crore... the first two phases of the port can be completed. But I said for that to happen, Hindus should reach a consensus. Or else, who should decide on using Sree Padmanabhaswamy’s wealth?
Then...
In August 2015, Arun Jaitleyji summoned and interviewed me for NFDC (National Film Development Corporation). But the prime minister blocked it, saying ‘No, no... let him free. I need him.’ Amit Shahji told me this (smiles).
Were you attracted to BJP through PM Modi or through BJP’s ideology?
I used to like Vajpayeeji a lot, Advaniji too. But after that zeal, how did I like Indira Gandhi? How did I like P V Narasimha Rao?
So, do individuals matter more to you than ideology?
No, but by how individuals govern. For twelve and a half years, Modi was the CM of Gujarat. I began observing him from his ninth year as CM. I felt this man is fit for India. That happened.
Was there any BJP leader from Kerala who facilitated your closeness with the PM?
No one. He did a surgical strike (smiling). When I was reluctant, the fifth time, Kailashnathan called me and told me somewhat angrily that I shouldn’t consider myself a big actor. He spoke rudely. ‘Drop in if you can, nothing more.’ But Modiji did not speak like that. He then sent a calm and quiet person to talk to me. Later, I went (smiles).
You once said that Modiji was teary-eyed when he handed over your daughter’s hand... Is he such an emotional person?
See… everyone has some sort of self-conception. The Opposition projected me as someone I’m not. I did not contradict or react. I did not say they are wrong. I didn’t even mention the names of my co-candidates. I only called them my co-candidates.
BJP doesn’t even have an MLA in Kerala, yet you have won to be an MP. What do you attribute this to?
I believe people understand genuine work. If you ask me about my understanding of my electoral success, it is that people understood the worth of what I have done for them. The wider understanding is that we will have our man there in BJP to get things done... because they believe someone in BJP is going to be at the helm of their affairs. So he will be our man... that’s important. They understood that.
Were Suresh Gopi’s persona and people’s trust in him reasons for the win?
You should not weaken or dilute this success.
So, was that a political victory?
No, it wasn’t a political victory. This is people’s victory. They decided.
In the PM’s parliamentary party meeting, he specifically mentioned your victory…
See, he has understood it. He knows. Plus, I have to tell you... I didn’t let the district president have a good sleep with his wife for the past one and a half years. He extended that pressure to all booth presidents. I have heard him speak harshly to them. They were aiming for a victory. We cannot dismiss any of these aspects.
Would you be able to continue acting while being a minister?
I’m finding ways to do that. I cannot disclose them. There are party matters and there are wishes of my leaders.
Even now, when he sees me, he says: ‘Don’t go to Kerala often... go to your family one day a week. One day for your constituency. Go to other constituencies. Only three to four days... be in the ministry.’ He said this when I met him last week, while he was about to leave the room.
There is a narrative that Modi’s charisma took a beating even though BJP returned to power for a third time...
People can find excuses like that and take pleasure in them.
You have an acceptance among all. How much do you align with the Hindu nationalist policy of BJP?
You find your own answer. Don’t ask me and try to get one.
What makes the victory in Thrissur special?
I don’t know. This victory could be a test dose. Out of the seven assembly constituencies, BJP could achieve substantial progress in six, especially in Thrissur. It might be the inference of a chemical reaction we triggered, and from which we should learn. We can fix this as a basic standard and replicate it in 2026.
Is Suresh Gopi the new face of the state BJP?
That I don’t know (smiles).
Why did you opt for Thrissur, when BJP has a strong influence in Thiruvanan-thapuram?
That’s because a candidate suddenly opted out of the constituency and BJP was forced to take over. Though I was reluctant, I was asked to contest from there. Do you think I would leave it halfway, after expending all my energy?
Is it true that you could garner votes from even the Muslim community?
Why are you talking about caste/community even as I refrain from it? Humans voted for me... a large section of good humans voted for me. Some of them may have voted against me. It is their political right and I don’t question that right.
As a minister, what are your plans for Kerala?
As an MP, I work for Thrissur. As I promised during my campaign, I’d like to help the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh too. As for Kerala, of the 500-odd issues that have cropped up in the past two months, only 10-12 are related to my ministry. I was able to find solutions to most of them.
What about the extension of Kochi Metro?
You all heard what Union Finance Minister Nirmala Seetharaman said in the interim budget. The existing metro system should be extended. Then why discourage it? If all say that it needn’t be extended to Thrissur, I would drop it. But don’t you want me to try?
As a union minister, have you started official interactions with the state government?
Not yet. The state tourism minister had called me once and fixed an appointment. However, he didn’t turn up.
Do you have any projects in mind to tap into Kerala’s tourism potential?
It is not in my mind, but in the prime minister’s mind. Taking a cue from that, I am spearheading certain initiatives.
Two former union ministers — V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrasekhar — didn’t have a good rapport with the state government. Would you take a more inclusive approach?
My approach in the last couple of months should tell you I prefer to tread that path.
Some ministers are saying that they now have the confidence that you are there at the Centre?
If they come to me with good intentions, then all’s good. ‘Nallavanukku nan romba nallavan, kettavanukku romba kettavan.’ (delivers a punch Tamil dialogue, which roughly translates to ‘I’m really good to good people, really bad to bad people’)
Can you elaborate on social media auditing, which is being planned?
You can post positive or negative comments. However, how far can you go with a negative comment? That’s your liberty and freedom of speech... but what about violating my liberty and freedom of speech? Is social media building amity or enmity? I believe it should build amity. Regulations will come.
You came back to AMMA after 20 years and you were given a fabulous reception...
It wasn’t fabulous. It was given to me last time, and this time too. They are happy because, for them, I becoming a minister is akin to every one of them getting that post.
What about your differences with the association?
That still stands. It cannot be termed differences, but a peculiar condition.
You had earlier said that when you had very few films in hand, neither Mohanlal nor Mammootty called but only Dileep did...
I didn’t say that they did not call me. In fact, no one called me except Dileep. He would call me and ask me to do films and insist that I stop eating curd.
Did you stop eating curd?
Toned it down a bit (smiles).
Why did you take a sabbatical from films?
There are a lot of things to say. I will say it all, when I write a book.
Don’t you think that even in the Kerala film industry there is a trend of promoting the children of superstars?
Has anyone ever lost a chance because of the children of superstars? Can you establish that I called any producer for my son? If yes, I’ll stop everything.
Was there a move to ensure that Malayalam cinema has only two superstars and not a third one?
I don’t know. Suresh Gopi is not part of that (smiles).
Isn’t Suresh Gopi a superstar?
I don’t know. I’m an actor. I’m a worker who makes his livelihood through acting. That’s all.
We’ve heard that you like watching some of your characters on screen. Do some characters give you goosebumps?
When I watch films like Pathram, Kaliyattam, Commissioner... certain scenes, like that of the character ‘Kuttappayi’ in Vazhunnor... some sequences which aren’t of the usual pattern... I do feel a special liking. There are many such moments in the film Paappan, especially those related to the sequence with his daughter. Even now, when I think about that scene, my eyes well up.
Your responses are often very dramatic, like the way you are in films. Is that how you are with your family too?
(Laughs out loud) They should be given an award for tolerating me! (Laughs again)
In the movie Commissioner, your character mouths a now cult dialogue to a union minister. Now that you are in the minister’s shoes, how do you look at this role-reversal?
I should’ve asked that policeman. Anyway, I did do so during the Pooram fiasco (smiles).
It’s said that the Thrissur SP was trying to emulate Bharathchandran IPS…
Those are all media-spun stories. He wasn’t trying to do anything of that sort. He’s a young officer and he’ll learn. I was only questioning why they beat up the public? There won’t be any Pooram if there are no masses.
Do the changes being brought to Thrissur Pooram signal an absolute overhaul?
Of course. There’s something called a cosmic law. Did anything happen to Sabarimala after 2017? Aren’t there more pilgrims coming now?
Mohanlal and Mammootty have their own production companies. Have you ever thought about such an initiative?
I won’t be able to do it. I don’t have such business acumen.
You were once very close to K Karunakaran, but later became a VS fan…
Yes. Like I already said, for me, individuals are important.
You used to be closely associated with Pinarayi Vijayan too, once upon a time...
It was not closeness, but respect.
Do you still share the same equation?
(Keeps looking upwards and smiles)
What did you find attractive about Karunakaran?
He was a powerful administrator. When he said, ‘Do it’, it meant ‘Do it’.
What about VS?
Do you want me to look upwards again? (grins). He wasn’t allowed to do anything.
You didn’t share such a relationship with Oommen Chandy or anyone else in the Congress...
No. I didn’t have such a deep relationship with anyone else.