Identity This South Superstar From His Childhood Photo. Hint: He’s Also A Politician Now

Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi, with his charismatic screen presence and commanding performance, has carved a niche in the South film industry. Undoubtedly, the superstar is a force to be reckoned with in regional cinema. Are you aware of his first appearance in movies? Recently, a fascinating piece of trivia has been doing the rounds on the internet, capturing the attention of viewers online. Viewers spotted the now-famous superstar playing a role as a child in a black-and-white film that was released in 1965. Yes, you heard that right. Now, a photo of Suresh Gopi from the film’s set is going viral.

Suresh Gopi made his debut in the light-camera-action world as a child artist with the movie Odayil Ninnu. Directed by KS Sethumadhavan, the Malayalam film saw the actor essaying the role of a feudal lord’s son. The beginning of his magnificent career started with a terrifying sight. During a media interview in 2015, Suresh Gopi recalled his first encounter on a film set. Sharing his dramatic memories with legendary actor Sathyan, who was one of the leading figures in Malayalam cinema, he recounted, “The first thing I saw when I went there with my father was a knife being held to Sathyan’s master’s neck. Though it was to shave his beard before applying make-up, that scared the hell out of me, and I ran out of the Ashram guest house.”

Despite witnessing the shocking sight, Suresh Gopi’s father persuaded him to return to the set and fulfil his role in the film.

Later, he marked his debut as an adult in Malayalam cinema in 1986 with an uncredited role in Niramulla Raavukal. The star finally got a breakthrough by playing the lead role in Shaji Kailas’s Thalastaanam in 1992, which was written by Renji Panicker. He established himself as a bankable star in Malayalam cinema through Ekalavyan. Since then, Suresh has acted in more than 250 films. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Kaliyattam in 1998.

The actor stepped into the political world in 2016. He has been serving as the Minister of Tourism and the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas since June 2024. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) in the 2024 general elections from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, becoming the first BJP MP from Kerala.