At the Garuda press meet, Suresh Gopi was at his usual candid best. As always he didn’t dodge any questions and patiently answered all the questions. When a scribe wanted his response to his son’s statement that society doesn’t deserve a politician who is also a social worker like him, Suresh Gopi looked pleased.
“He has every right to pass his opinion. Even his mother has a similar opinion. But they have never shared that with anyone. Radhika says it is up to me to decide how to spend my hard-earned money. And that I should know how to take care of myself. She doesn’t think she should have a say in that.
I have heard her convey this to Gokul also. What Gokul feels is the pain of a son who is witness to his father getting verbally abused daily. I have told all my children to keep a distance from the politician in me. Then life will be easier. We do say that about actors, right?
I am not bothered about what others say or think about me. We should decide what we want to do with our life and as long as it is on the right path, we shouldn’t be deterred from that journey. That’s what I do. I don’t really bother about the naysayers,” says the actor.
When he was asked about his son’s performance in 'King of Kotha', the father said, he hadn’t yet seen the film. But he expressed his happiness at the positive responses he received for his son’s performance in the film.
“I haven’t seen 'King of Kotha', and he is really sad about it. The only film I have seen of his is 'Mudhugauv.' That too I have only seen it in parts. I probably would have some stuff to do in between. It is similar to my stint in cinema, including my capacity to judge my films. But I don’t think I need to watch Kotha. I feel happy when people like Siddique and others have a lot of nice things to say about the film.
Nyla Usha said we looked startlingly alike. I think he himself has answered that question and gave credit to the DNA. Having said that I think it is a challenge. I don’t think my children ever had the kind of pressures that the children of Mammootty or Mohanlal had to encounter. I am not that much of a pressure as an actor for Gokul to live up to. So he has a lot of space to thrive as an actor. I was never an unassailable peak for him. This is my analysis.
Before he joined Kotha he just had one request and that was to ask my former costume designer Pazhani to stitch his police uniform. I told him to do whatever he wishes, after all this was his cinema and his choices,” said the actor.
Recently Gokul’s words about the criticisms against his father had gained social media attention. “I would rather see my father remain an actor. I feel happy to witness his comeback as an actor. Because I don’t think he is a true-blue politician. Real politicians are those who spend 100 bucks on the people and wonder how to extract 1000 from the public. But my dad is someone who works hard for his 10 bucks and spends 100s on public service. Despite everything society brutally criticises him. This society doesn’t deserve my father,” was what he said in an earlier interview.
