Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi might be a Union Minister, but he misses income from store openings: ‘Source has dried up’

Malayalam actor and Union Minister Suresh Gopi cracked up attendees recently at the opening of the Kalyani Silks store in Alappuzha. While he might be the Union Minister of State in both the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Tourism, he seems to miss the income he earned in the film industry. He spoke about how he misses making income from store openings.

At the store's opening this week, Suresh said he is no longer invited to store inaugurations. He revealed, while laughing, that his income from such openings has also dried up now. “I have inaugurated many stores in the past, but for some time now, I haven’t been called to any,” he said, adding, “Consequently, the income from that source has also dried up. I have no complaints, though.”

Suresh expressed hope that the event would lead to him being invited to more such openings. “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, making those around him smile at his candidness.

This is not the first time that Suresh has been vocal about missing his old life. In October 2025, while addressing an event in Kannur, he stated that his income had dried up since he entered politics. “I really want to continue acting. I need to earn more; my income has now stopped completely,” he said, adding, “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.”

Suresh might be an MoS today, but he was a popular actor before that. However, his popularity dipped through the years. The 1990s saw his rise as an ‘action hero’ with movies such as Ekalavyan, Mafia, Chukkan, Kashmeeram, Commissioner, Highway, Yuvathurki, Lelam, Pathram, Vazhunnor, Crime File, and FIR. Once a superstar alongside Mammootty and Mohanlal, he saw his career dip in the 2000s due to a string of flops.

Suresh is the first BJP MP from Kerala, having won the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat. His most recent film was JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala in 2025. He has Ottakkomban, Varaham, Oru Perumgaliyattam and Aazhi lined up.

Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.Read More