BJP leader Suresh Gopi sworn-in as Union Minister in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government. He has been apointed as the Minister of State for Petroleum and Tourism in the NDA government.
Actor Suresh Gopi's win from Thrissur constituency is nothing short of being historic. The actor contested on a BJP ticket and his win was the only win for the party in the state. His win helped BJP open a LS account from Kerala for the first time ever. Here's everything you need to know about Suresh Gopi.
Suresh Gopi is an actor and playback singer, who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema and has also appeared in some Tamil, Telugu, Kannada,and Hindi films.
Suresh got breakthrough by playing the lead role in Shaji Kailas's Thalastaanam (1992). He has acted in more than 250 films. Suresh established himself as a bankable star in Malayalam cinema in the 1990s and featured in hits like Ekalavyan, Manichitrathazhu and Commissioner. He made a comeback in Malayalam cinema by playing a pivotal role in Varane Avashyamund in 2020, after a five-year long hiatus.
In 1998, he won the National Film Award for Best Actor and Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Kaliyattam.
In October 2016, Suresh officially joined the BJP. In 2019, he contested in the 2019 Indian general election in Kerala as a candidate of the BJP from Thrissur constituency and lost.
On 29 April 2016, Suresh Gopi was sworn in as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha, nominated by the President of India in the category of eminent citizens as per the provisions of Article 80 of the Constitution of India.
In 2022, Suresh Gopi courted controversy when he distributed kaineettam, a gift of coins or small amounts of money, during the harvest festival of Vishu. Mr Gopi was distributing the gifts from a car while people, including women, lined up and sought his blessings, touching his feet.
In 2023, soon after being appointed as the president of the Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI), he was accused of sexual harassment by a female journalist during a media interaction in Kozhikode. The actor apologised in a Facebook post, saying he had only behaved in an “affectionate manner."