Suresh Gopi Became Kerala Superstar Andhra Supreme Star Ekalavyan Mammootty Rejected

With yet another Drishyam movie becoming a blockbuster, social media is once again abuzz with discussions about how Mammootty missed out on such a massive franchise, one of the most popular in contemporary Indian cinema. Writer-director Jeethu Joseph wanted Mammootty to headline Drishyam (2013) and had even narrated its story to the megastar. However, the actor turned down the offer because he had too many projects on his plate at that time, and the role of Georgekutty eventually went to Mohanlal. Since then, Jeethu Joseph and Mohanlal have created Drishyam 2 (2021) and, most recently, Drishyam 3 (2026). The first two instalments of the franchise have also been remade into multiple languages, including Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada, and have all emerged as massive successes. Must Read | Kattalan review: Antony Varghese’s actioner feels like a series of reels disguised as a film When Mammootty turned down Mohanlal's career-defining blockbuster Interestingly, this isn't the first time Mohanlal took on a film that Mammootty rejected and struck gold. In fact, director Thambi Kannanthanam and screenwriter Dennis Joseph's Rajavinte Makan (1986), the gangster film that catapulted Mohanlal to superstardom, was first offered to Mammootty, but he turned it down. Fascinatingly, Mohanlal isn't the only actor who received such an opportunity. Even actor-politician Suresh Gopi emerged as a superstar in Malayalam cinema through a movie that Mammootty rejected. The movie not only became a blockbuster in Malayalam but also a massive hit in the Telugu market, too, earning Suresh Gopi the sobriquet "Supreme Star" in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. The film we are talking about is director Shaji Kailas' Ekalavyan (1993). Its writer, Renji Panicker, once told Kaumudy that Ekalavyan was initially offered to Mammootty, who turned it down, dealing a significant heartbreak to the writer. However, Renji and Mammootty later collaborated on movies such as The King (1995), Dubai (2001), Roudram (2008), and The King & the Commissioner (2012). The Ekalavyan effect After the megastar rejected Ekalavyan, Shaji Kailas and Renji Panicker took it to Suresh Gopi, who accepted the project. The duo had previously worked together on Thalasthanam (1992). This was also the time when the actor was slowly earning recognition as Malayalam cinema's "action hero." Suresh's performance as Madhavan IPS and the movie itself earned widespread acclaim, and Ekalavyan emerged as a massive box-office success. His subsequent films, such as Mafia (1993), Chukkan (1994), and Kashmeeram (1994), also played a crucial role in his rise in Malayalam cinema. His coronation as a superstar was complete with Commissioner (1994), created by the same Shaji Kailas-Renji Panicker duo. Interestingly, his action films made Suresh popular not just in Kerala but also in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Renowned producer Kahder Hassan, noted for introducing Malayali audiences to dubbed Telugu movies, once shared that Suresh Gopi was as popular in the Telugu market as Allu Arjun was in Kerala in the 2000s. On the occasion of the actor's 62nd birthday in 2020, Kahder shared a lengthy Facebook post, recalling the waves Suresh created in the Telugu market in the 1990s. Also Read | Jeethu Joseph on why Mammootty said no to Drishyam: ‘He asked me to wait for 2 years’ How Suresh Gopi captured the Telugu box office Mentioning that there was a time when Malayalam films became regular hits in Andhra Pradesh, he pointed out that it was Suresh Gopi's popularity that expanded the market for Malayalam actioners. Pointing out that the Telugu and Tamil dubbed versions of Commissioner achieved unprecedented success, stunning even distributors, Kahder revealed that the Telugu version, titled Police Commissioner, became the biggest hit among the two editions. "It created history by running for over 100 days across Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu dubbed version was a success in Karnataka as well," he wrote. Suresh Gopi felicitates actor Mammootty during an event. (Express archive photo) Subsequently, Ekalavyan, which hit the screens a few months before Commissioner, was released in Telugu and Tamil under the title CBI Officer. "It was through Ekalavyan that Suresh earned the title 'Supreme Star' in Andhra Pradesh. The crowds that gathered in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam on the opening day to watch the dubbed version of Mafia (1993) literally shocked many industry giants," he revealed, adding that Kannada-Telugu actor Sai Kumar's perfect dubbing for Suresh also played a key role in these movies' success. ICYMI | Lakshmi and Aishwarya: The iconic mother-daughter duo who appeared as Mammootty’s leading ladies "Distributors even began competing for the rights to Suresh Gopi's films. It was big news back then that the Telugu and Tamil rights for the Malayalam film Thakshashila (1995) were sold even before the shoot commenced. The actor's Kashmeeram was also a huge success outside Kerala after the dubbed versions were released under the title New Delhi. Similarly, Highway (1995) was another blockbuster. It had created massive hype in Andhra even before its release. Subsequently, even older Malayalam films in which Suresh played supporting roles were marketed under his name across Andhra and Tamil Nadu," he added. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=701765230611794&set=a.165993772003670&type=3 Suresh Gopi joins ranks of Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi Kahder continued, "In the '90s, it was a matter of great pride for all of us that a star from our small Kerala rose to become one of the five actors with a pan-South market, alongside Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, and Nagarjuna." He further pointed out that this was why, when the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation (ABCL) tried to make a foray into Malayalam cinema, they sought to co-produce a Suresh Gopi film, director Bhadran's Yuvathurki (1996). It remains ABCL's sole Malayalam project. Despite Yuvathurki's mediocre performance in Kerala, it apparently became a massive success in the Telugu and Tamil markets. Also Read | Mohanlal film Drishyam 3 earns over Rs 219 cr globally, crosses Rs 100 cr in India Suresh Gopi currently serves as the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, having been elected to the Lok Sabha from Kerala's Thrissur constituency in 2024. His most recent movie appearance was in JSK: Janaki V v/s State of Kerala (2025). Disclaimer: This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only, providing factual editorial commentary on cinema history and casting trivia. The views and analyses expressed represent historical industry insights and do not constitute professional or legal advice.