Malayalam actor and Union Minister Suresh Gopi found a lighter way to talk about a very real change in his life when he attended the opening of a Kalyani Silks store in Alappuzha. The actor-turned-politician joked that invitations to inaugurate shops had stopped coming his way, and with them, another source of income had disappeared. His candid remarks brought laughter from those attending the event, but they also echoed something he has said before about how much he misses his life in cinema.
Gopi currently serves as Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas as well as Minister of State for Tourism, positions he continues to hold according to the Government of India’s current records. Yet the responsibilities of politics have left considerably less room for the film career that made him one of Malayalam cinema’s most recognizable action stars. His latest comments suggest that the connection with that older part of his life has not disappeared, even as his political responsibilities have grown.
Suresh Gopi Opens Up About Lost Invitations
Speaking at the Alappuzha store opening, Gopi recalled the many occasions when he used to be invited to inaugurate commercial establishments. He then joked that such invitations have largely stopped since he entered politics, meaning the income associated with those appearances has disappeared as well. Rather than turning the moment into a complaint, he delivered the observation with enough humour to make the audience smile.
“I have inaugurated many stores in the past, but for some time now, I haven’t been called to any,” he said. He added, “Consequently, the income from that source has also dried up. I have no complaints, though.”
Gopi then appeared to take the opportunity as a hopeful sign that his days as a familiar face at store inaugurations might not be over. “Whatever God has decided for me will happen. If not through this path, it will happen through another channel. Inaugural ceremonies mark a beginning. I hope that this marks a restart for me as an inaugurator as well,” he said.
There is a playful side to the comments, but they also fit into a larger pattern in Gopi’s recent public statements. Since entering full-time politics, he has repeatedly spoken about the financial and professional sacrifices involved in spending more time in public life. That makes his latest joke about store openings more than just an amusing aside; it is another glimpse into the unusual position of an actor who is now also a Union minister.
He Has Already Said He Misses Acting
Gopi was even more direct about his situation in October 2025 while speaking at an event in Kannur. On that occasion, he said he wanted to continue acting because he needed to earn more, adding, “I really want to continue acting. I need to earn more; my income has now stopped completely.” His remarks were widely reported after he also suggested that Rajya Sabha MP C Sadanandan Master could take his place as Union Minister.
He also explained that becoming a minister was not something he had personally sought at the expense of his film career. “I have never prayed to become a minister. A day before the elections, I told reporters that I do not want to become a minister, I want to continue with my cinema,” Gopi said at the time.
Those remarks provide useful context for his latest comments in Alappuzha. His store-inauguration joke is not an isolated statement about money; it comes from an actor who has openly acknowledged that his professional life changed dramatically after his electoral victory and appointment to the Union government.
Gopi’s political career also carries historic significance in Kerala. He won the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general election, becoming the BJP’s first Lok Sabha MP elected from Kerala. His ministerial responsibilities have since placed him in a very different public role from the one audiences knew him for throughout much of his film career.
From Malayalam Action Star To Union Minister
Long before politics became a major part of his public identity, Gopi was one of the defining action stars of Malayalam cinema during the 1990s. Films such as Ekalavyan, Mafia, Chukkan, Kashmeeram, Commissioner, Highway, Yuvathurki, Lelam, Pathram, Vazhunnor, Crime File and FIR helped establish his image as an intense performer who could carry police, action and investigative roles with considerable screen presence.
His popularity during that period put him alongside major Malayalam stars including Mammootty and Mohanlal. However, his momentum weakened during the 2000s as a series of films failed to match the impact of his earlier work. The industry changed, audience preferences shifted and Gopi gradually moved away from being a constant presence at the top of Malayalam cinema.
His political journey eventually became another defining chapter. He joined the BJP and later became the party’s first successful Lok Sabha representative from Kerala, turning an actor known for playing larger-than-life characters into a politician with responsibilities at the national level.
That transition has inevitably affected his availability for films. While Gopi has not abandoned cinema completely, his political commitments have made it harder to maintain the pace of work associated with his earlier career.
Cinema Still Remains Part Of His Plans
Despite his ministerial responsibilities, Gopi’s acting career has not completely disappeared. His 2025 film JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala was among his recent releases, and he has also been associated with projects including Ottakkomban, Varaham, Oru Perumgaliyattam and Aazhi.
That combination of politics and cinema is what makes Gopi’s recent comments particularly interesting. Unlike an actor who has simply retired from films after entering public life, he has repeatedly expressed a desire to continue performing. His challenge appears to be finding enough time and freedom to maintain both careers without one completely overwhelming the other.
For audiences who remember his 1990s run, the idea of Gopi returning to a more active film schedule carries obvious curiosity. His screen image remains closely tied to the era when Malayalam cinema produced some of its most memorable police and action dramas, and his presence can still bring a strong sense of nostalgia.
At the same time, Gopi is no longer only a film star. His role in the Union government means that every statement he makes about cinema, politics or his personal career can attract attention beyond the film audience. That makes his light-hearted comments about store openings unexpectedly revealing: beneath the joke is an actor who still clearly misses parts of the professional life he left behind.
Why did Suresh Gopi joke about store openings?
Suresh Gopi said he had not been invited to store inaugurations for some time and joked that the income he once received from such appearances had therefore dried up. He made the remarks while attending a Kalyani Silks store opening in Alappuzha.
What ministries does Suresh Gopi currently handle?
Suresh Gopi is currently a Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and a Minister of State for Tourism. Current government records continue to list him in both roles.
What did Suresh Gopi say about his acting income in 2025?
At an event in Kannur in October 2025, Gopi said, “I really want to continue acting. I need to earn more; my income has now stopped completely.”
What was Suresh Gopi’s latest film?
JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala, released in 2025, was among his recent films.
Does Suresh Gopi plan to continue acting?
Yes. Gopi has repeatedly said that he wants to continue his film career despite his political responsibilities, and several projects have been associated with his post-politics-era film work.
Why is Suresh Gopi’s return to cinema significant?
Gopi was one of Malayalam cinema’s prominent action stars during the 1990s, with films such as Commissioner, Lelam, Pathram and Ekalavyan helping define his career. A more active return could therefore reconnect him with an audience that remembers his strongest period on screen.
