Gokul Suresh: I want to make a name for myself by being part of amazing projects | Malayalam Movie News

Gokul Suresh seems to be enjoying not just his father Suresh Gopi’s election success, but is also thrilled with the audience response to Arun Chandu’s sci-fi directorial Gaganachari, which has proven to be quite a sleeper hit. The film’s team started with a couple of limited releases and received an enthusiastic response when it got a theatrical release, almost four years after it was made.

The actor is currently working on the Mammootty project, directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon, and he is also set to play a negative character in Fahadh Faasil-starrer Karate Chandran. “I have a brown belt in the shotokan karate style, which is the style that we showcase in the movie, as well,” says Gokul. But the young actor, who made his debut with Mudhugauv in 2016, has only about a handful of films so far to his credit. He doesn’t shy away from saying this is because “few good films came his way and was being choosy”.


There is a charming openness to the actor, whether it comes to his career or to defending his father, but he says, “I used to be outspoken and aggressive, but it doesn’t work here, so I have mellowed now.” Gokul spoke to us about working on the pathbreaking sci-fi film, family and wishing to remain unchanged by success. Excerpts…

‘The film reflected the apocalyptic situation of the pandemic’
Gaganachari was not an easy story to tell. It is a very different genre, but we have delivered it in such a manner that it wasn’t reduced to gimmickry, so it has been recognized as such and well-received by audiences.


Arun chetan and I have a relationship beyond that of a director and actor. I feel a brotherly bond with him. We enjoy talking about superheroes or even wild conspiracy theories and our wavelengths match. This is something that we used to do even before working on Gaganachari and I guess he understood my taste.
The film happened when the world was caught up in concerns of the pandemic, when everyone was wondering what might happen. This story too, exists in a similarly apocalyptic world and we were able to relate to it. And we have a positive vibe about working on it. I was not even concerned about my remuneration.
It is a pathbreaking film and it was bold of producer Vinayaka Ajith and executive producer and independent filmmaker like Krishand to stand with us. We started with a limited release for sci-fi enthusiasts and got an enthusiastic response and this pushed the film to a bigger theatrical release, which got an amazing response.

‘I don’t need to be relevant if I’m not doing good work’
‘I have never wished for my films to succeed because I am a big name. I want to make a name for myself by being part of amazing projects. I don’t need to be relevant if I’m not doing good work. But good cinema should get the appreciation it deserves. Even on Gaganachari, I found that when we really wish for something the universe conspires to make it happen. It has a new texture, presentation, ideas. Even though it is four years old, it is still fresh.’


‘For me, the role matters, rather than it’s length’I played a hero in Mudhugao. I was the supposed to play the lead, but it was a kind of character role. Then, I did Masterpiece, which was a Mammukka starrer. In Ira, if I hadn’t had a sequence in the climax where the real shades of my character are revealed, no one would probably have even remembered me in that movie. That’s how I look at it. I like the filmmaking process.
I have done films which have felt like bigger productions, but Gaganachari felt like something new and something different from what I would ever do.

‘As a family, we don’t get carried away by anything’At home, we don’t really sit down and have discussions on movies or politics, as a family. All of us go about our own lives. Achan usually just came home to rest from work, so we wouldn’t disturb him. It is just a regular, typical household; there is no celebrity element.

In Gaganachari, there would be no criticism to the ruling dispensation, if my father had a problem. He openly praised the performance of Ganesh Kumar sir, who has severely criticized him politically. A person cannot be more genuine than this.
Before Achan lost the elections the last time, we felt he could become a Central minister, because he has the capabilities for it. But a star that people had loved for about three decades, had lost. So, we came to a realization that there is more to it than meets the eye. Because of this, as a family, we don’t get carried away by anything; whether it is an election win or if my film becomes a hit. I think I will remain the same person. Even if I have to make a conscious effort towards this, I think it is my duty as a human to do so.

I know youngsters who have changed with success, but maybe because my father is a big name in his own right, I am not overly impressed by people who attain success. I am aware that no matter how successful you get, there can be people to pull you down. I have arrived at these realizations.