Actor and Union Minister recently hit headlines after directing toll plaza operators to open all gates at Paliyekkara. He said that his decision came after seeing a long queue of vehicles at the toll plaza. Paliyekkara toll plaza is located in Gopi’s Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency on the Kochi-Salem National Highway.
According to officials, Suresh Gopi was on his way towards Ernakulam when the incident took place. Reportedly, he saw vehicles waiting to cross the toll plaza on both sides.
Although his vehicle managed to make it to the toll plaza, Gopi got out of his vehicle at the toll booth. He personally ordered the plaza operators to open all the gates in order, which helped clear the queue in half an hour, as per police.
“There are clear legal guidelines that if vehicles are queuing up to such a distance-considering the fuel waste from idling, excessive heat emissions, and smoke emissions-the court has issued strict directives that if vehicles build up beyond a certain point, the toll gates must be opened to let them pass,” the BJP Minister said on television, as quoted by PTI.
“There is no point in blaming them either; they have to collect the toll. But this takes a lot of time,” he added.
Born in Alappuzha, Kerala, in June 1958, Suresh Gopi is an actor, singer and politician who is best known for his work in the Malayalam film industry. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology and a Master of Arts degree in English literature.
Gopi has starred in several Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi films. He is also a philanthropist and social worker.
Suresh Gopi’s breakthrough performance was as the protagonist in Shaji Kailas’s Thalastaanam (1992). With more than 250 films in his decades-long career, Gopi is among the most bankable stars of the Indian film industry, with hits like Ekalavyan (1993), Commissioner and Manichitrathazhu. His portrayal of Anakkattil Chackochi in Lelam (1997) remains one of the most memorable performances of his career. In 1998, Gopi won the National Film Award and Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Kaliyattam.
After 2015, Suresh Gopi took a five-year break from acting and later returned to Malayalam cinema with Varane Avashyamund in 2020.
Besides films, Suresh Gopi also hosted the Malayalam quiz show Ningalkkum Aakaam Kodeeshwaran on Asianet in 2012. He also hosted Anchinodu Inchodinchu on Surya TV.
Gopi forayed into politics and joined the in 2016. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in April 2016 as an eminent citizen and served as a member of the Upper House until 2022. Gopi contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from as a BJP candidate but lost to the Congress. He returned to Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, where he secured his win.
