A coterie worked against me: Suresh Gopi

They wanted me out and I did not have the strength to fight it out. Now I have learnt the hard way," said the 46-year-old Gopi.

Veteran Malayalam superstar Suresh Gopi, who is attempting a comeback after a three-year layoff, says he has learnt much from the past when a coterie attempted to suppress him.

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"They wanted me out and I did not have the strength to fight it out. Now I have learnt the hard way," the 46-year-old Gopi, who has acted in more than 200 films, told IANS in an interview.

"Henceforth, I will talk less and concentrate on my work because I have a family of four children and my wife to look after," added Gopi, who won a National Award for his performance in "Kaliyattam". The film was the Malayalam remake of Shakespeare's "Othello".

"They (the coterie) did not like me because I was outspoken," the cine star maintained, without naming those he accused of gunning for him.

After the success of all-time hits like "Commissioner", "Ekalavyan" "Lelam", "Thalasthaanam" and "Innale", Suresh Gopi was labelled the angry young man of Malayalam films, a tag he wore for nearly a decade, beginning in the late 1980s. But after a series of flops, he decided to take a break.

There were reports at the time that Gopi also nursed political ambitions and wanted to contest elections on the Congress or Communist Party of India-Marxist ticket. The Bharatiya Janata Party too had reportedly sought to approach him.

"According to my stars, I will live up to age 70. I am quite certain that one day I will get a chance to speak out. Rumblings have already begun in the industry. (But) I will not speak a word. I will sit and watch," Gopi said.

According to him, his biggest gain from the three-year gap is that he has become even more god fearing. Thus, before he faces the camera Monday, he will perform daylong penance at the Sree Krishna Temple at Guruvayoor.

Gopi's new movie, "Bharatchandran IPS" is a sequel to blockbuster Commissioner" that saw Gopi achieving superstar status.

He has also signed up with veteran directors like Shaji Kailas, Viji Thampi, K. Madhu and A.K. Sajan.

"For the next two years, my hands are full and I am fully committed. I am not going to think of anything else, even though at times I do get bad dreams," the veteran actor declared.

"I am neither dejected nor depressed because every one has a bad phase in one's life. I realized it the hard way because the momentum of my social life too slowed down," said Gopi.

For some time, Gopi took active interest in the social issues but here too hit a roadblock.

"I know that keeping aloof is not a wise thing but since I have nothing to prove, please don't depict me as an escapist," Gopi said.