Beginner’s guide to actor Suresh Gopi: Five must-watch SG films from his pre-action hero era

As the thespian celebrates his 65th birthday on Monday (June 26), here are five amazing Suresh Gopi performances from his pre-action hero era.

Suresh from Poovinu Puthiya Poonthennal

Following his debut as a child actor in KS Sethumadhavan’s Odayil Ninnu (1965), Suresh Gopi received his first major role in Fazil’s Poovinu Puthiya Poonthennal (1986), one of the most successful films of the 1980s. Though since the beginning of 1986, Suresh Gopi had appeared in a few films, the majority of his performances went undetected, until Fazil’s Poovinu Puthiya Poonthennal.

The film revolves around a toddler with hearing and speech impairments and an alcoholic young man, who is still reeling under the pain of losing his wife and child. After his mother is brutally murdered, the child, Benny, ends up with Kiran (Mammootty) who slowly realises the tragedy that has befallen the kid and finds out that it was Suresh and his henchman Renji (Babu Antony) who committed the crime.

Though the antagonist Suresh doesn’t have many scenes that overtly show his cold-bloodedness, the actor nevertheless puts in a strong performance, earning praise.

Christy from Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu

Joshiy’s Ee Thanutha Veluppan Kalathu (1990), penned by P Padmarajan, is yet another film that provided Suresh Gopi with a very unconventional role. Christopher aka Christy (Suresh) is nabbed by SP Haridas (Mammootty) and his team for allegedly murdering a couple of high-profile persons. During interrogation, the police realise that Christy is struggling with severe mental health issues and is also delusional. Even while everyone else thinks Christy is the real perpetrator, Haridas doesn’t agree and eventually catches the real criminal.

Suresh Gopi meticulously achieves the highest level of perfection in his portrayal by switching back and forth between a helpless individual with mental health concerns and an alleged serial killer who has been duped into believing it to be true. Despite having a small role, Suresh’s depiction of the character is nevertheless the main attraction in this otherwise mediocre movie, which is, in all honesty, one of the weakest creations from both Padmarajan and the Joshiy of the 1990s.

Gopakumar from Pappayude Swantham Appoos

Yet another Fazil blockbuster, Pappayude Swantham Appoos (1992) tells the story of the dysfunctional relationship between a widower man and his neglected son. Despite Balu’s (Mammootty) desire to get close to his kid Appu (Master Badusha), the former’s life is ruled by unresolved grief from the sudden death of his wife. At the same time, a motherless Appu who experiences chronic mistreatment from his father finds it challenging to form relationships in general.

The character Gopakumar (Suresh Gopi), Balu’s doctor friend, captures the audience’s attention with a strong performance of a well-written character, despite the fact that Mammotty steals the show in the movie with his ability to ace emotional scenes.

Gopakumars role in Pappayude Swantham Appoos is just as crucial as it is in Balu’s life as he is a person who always has his friend’s back while also correcting the latter when at fault. And Suresh Gopi gives an enduringly memorable performance with his talent for capturing the spirit of characters with the utmost brilliance regardless of how large or tiny they are.

Minnal Prathapan from Manu Uncle

The Malayalam film industry has produced several memorable cameo appearances, such as Mammootty’s portrayal of Nandagopal Marar in Narasimham (2000) and Mohanlal’s character Niranjan in Summer in Bethlehem (1998). However, it’s uncertain whether any cameo role has managed to escape criticism entirely, except for Suresh Gopi’s SI Minnal Prathapan in Dennis Joseph’s Manu Uncle (1988).

Even though the character only appears in the climax and has less than 10 minutes of screen time, Suresh Gopi excels in this role, reminiscent of Shikkari Shambu and Jacques Clouseau, showcasing his exceptional talent for handling humour, especially physical comedy.

The movie revolves around a group of children who coincidentally witness a museum robbery. Unfortunately, their grandfather, a senior police officer who was investigating the case, is killed by the culprits. This forces the children and their uncle Manu (Mammootty) to take matters into their own hands and capture the criminals to hand them over to the police. As their efforts in the climax start to falter, SI Minnal Prathapan and his team enter the scene. Despite claiming to be a strong and determined officer, it becomes evident that Prathapan relies on luck and is just as frightened as the kids.

By skillfully embracing a humorous role that is outside his usual repertoire, Suresh Gopi demonstrates his versatility and proves his ability to tackle any kind of character.

Narendran from Innale

Innale, a remarkable romantic film crafted by P Padmarajan, stands out as one of the most intricately woven narratives. It also showcases one of Suresh Gopi’s most impactful performances to date.

The story revolves around a woman (Shobhana) who suffers from amnesia following an accident, losing all memories of her identity. During her treatment, Dr Sandhya (Srividya) and her son Sarath (Jayaram) develop a fondness for the woman and name her Maya. As Maya struggles to uncover her true identity, she finds solace in Sarath’s love and Sandhya’s affection, while her search for her roots encounters obstacles.

Just as Maya and Sarath are planning to get married, a man named Dr Narendran (Suresh Gopi) appears, suspecting that Maya might be his long-lost wife. As Sarath tries to keep this revelation from Maya, Narendran makes startling discoveries upon meeting her.

Through his nuanced and composed performance in Innale, Suresh Gopi demonstrates that he is capable of much more than action sequences and loud dialogues. This film serves as a testament to his versatility as an actor, showcasing his remarkable ability to deliver captivating performances in diverse and emotionally resonant characters.