M. R. Gopakumar

M. R. Gopakumar
Born	Mathar Ramakrishnan Gopakumar (1951-09-24) 24 September 1951 Thiruvattar, Travancore Cochin now Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality	India
Occupation(s)	Actor Government employee
Years active	1974–present
Spouse	L. Indira Devi ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	2
Parent(s)	N. Ramakrishnan Nair B. Kamalabai Amma

Mathar Ramakrishnan Gopakumar (born 24 September 1951) is an Indian film, television and theatre artist from Kerala. He began his acting career through Malayalam stage plays and later in tele-films and television serials and into films. In his career spanning over four decades, Gopakumar has acted in a wide variety of roles and has worked in both art house and mainstream films. He is mainly noted for his role as Thommi in the 1994 movie Vidheyan.

He has won two Kerala State Film Awards and five Kerala State Television Awards for acting.

Early life

M. R. Gopakumar was born on 24 September 1951 in Thiruvattar, then in Travancore Cochin, now in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, as the elder son of N. Ramakrishnan Nair, a school teacher in Thiruvattar High School, and B. Kamalabai Amma. Gopakumar did his primary school education in Thiruvattar Lower Primary School and completed his high school education from Thiruvattar High School. His did his pre-university course at Christian College, Marthandam and joined Pioneer Kumaraswamy College, Nagercoil and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. He later joined for post-graduation Master of Commerce at Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram. He migrated to Thiruvananthapuram when he joined Mar Ivanios college.

After earning his master's degree, Gopakumar joined Indian government service in 1973 as an auditor with P&T Audit under Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Post bifurcation of this department, Gopakumar moved into the Postal Accounts Department under Government of India. He retired from Postal Accounts as an Assistant Accounts Officer in September 2011.

Career

Stage plays

M. R. Gopakumar started his acting career as an amateur theatre actor in 1974 in G. Sankara Pillai's drama Rakshapurushan. The play was staged by the recreation club members of P&T Audit. This helped Gopakumar identify his passion for acting and he found himself being a part of five more plays staged by the club. Towards the late 1970s, a few young aspiring artists in Thiruvananthapuram came together to form an amateur drama troupe named Natyagruham. Gopakumar was one of the founding members of Natyagruham. The troupe that was headed by Narendra Prasad soon became very popular in Thiruvananthapuram. The association with like-minded artists in Natyagruham helped Gopakumar polish his acting skills. During the next 15 years with the troupe, he associated himself with several stage plays that won the accolades of many art-lovers across Kerala.

Television

In 1986, Doordarshan started telecasting tele-films in Malayalam-language under their own production. Kunjayyappan was one of the first Malayalam tele-films produced and telecasted by Doordarshan. Gopakumar played the title role. In 1988, Doordarshan aired a 13-episode television serial Mandan Kunchu. Gopakumar played an important role alongside Nedumudi Venu and Kaviyoor Ponnamma. Gopakumar's professional acting career took off from there. Since then, he has acted in around 100 serials and tele-films.

Feature films

Gopakumar's first feature film appearance was in the 1989 movie Mathilukal directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan. The film wan an adaptation of Vaikom Muhammad Basheer's novel of the same name. Gopakumar played the role of a random prison inmate who explains the story of a hole on the prison wall to his fellow inmate, the lead character, Basheer. His role in Mathilukal was not significant enough to be noticed by many.

Although, Gopakumar's acting prowess did not go unnoticed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan when he happened to watch a stage play that Gopakumar took part in. Adoor Gopalakrishnan called Gopakumar again in 1993, this time to play the title role in Vidheyan, an adaptation of the novel Bhaskara Pattelarum Ente Jeevithavum by Paul Zacharia. This turned out to be the big break that Gopakumar was looking for in his career. His performance in Vidheyan earned him a Kerala State Film Award – Special Jury Award.

In 1999, he won Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his role in Gopalan Nairude Thaadi.

Personal life

Gopakumar has been married to L. Indira Devi since 1975. The couple has a daughter – Soumya, and a son - Sreejith.

In the media

In 1996, when Hollywood director Steven Spielberg was looking for an Indian actor to play a role in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, his casting agents in India were directed towards M. R. Gopakumar by Adoor Gopalakrishnan himself. After multiple rounds of discussions and reviews of acting clips, Gopakumar was selected to play the role of the Indian character. The news attracted national attention almost immediately, as Gopakumar was set to become the first Indian actor to act in a Steven Spielberg film. However, Gopakumar was unable to join the production unit in Los Angeles as his work permit could not be processed within time. The role in the movie was later played by a foreign actor.

Filmography

Gopakumar has acted in more than 50 feature films and around 100 tele-films and television serials. He is still active in both professional and amateur plays.

Films

• Vaasam (2023) as Appooppan
• Dharani (2023)
• Kurup (2021)...Charlie's father; special appearance
• Kuppivala (2017)
• Pulimurugan (2016)
• Mallanum Mathevanum (2014) Unreleased film
• Chaayilyam (2014)
• Thekku Thekkoru Deshathu
• Kattum Mazhayum
• White Paper
• Snehikkan Oru Manassu
• Nirnnayakam (2015)
• Chewing Gum (2013)
• Pigman (2013).... Madhavan
• Manikkya Thamburattiyum Christmas Karolum (2013)
• My Fan Ramu (2013)
• Ozhimuri (2012)
• Karmayogi (2012)
• The Last Vision (2012)
• Puthiya Theerangal (2012)
• Adaminte Makan Abu (2011)
• Ee Dhanya Muhoortham (2011)
• Priyappetta Nattukkare (2011)
• Punyam Aham (2010)
• The Thriller(2010)....Adv. Uthaman Pillai
• Thathwamasi (2009)
• Oru Pennum Randaanum (2008)
• De Ingottu Nokkiye (2008)
• Madampi (2008)....Kottilakathu Raghavan
• Malabar Wedding (2008)
• Vilapangalkkappuram (2008)
• Naalu Pennungal (2007)
• Irmiah (2007)
• Shyaamam (2006)
• Ammathottil (2006)
• Mahha Samudram (2006)
• Out of Syllabus (2006)
• Nerariyan CBI (2005)....Mythili's father
• Udayon (2005) .... Chackochi
• Nottam (2006)
• Paadam Onnu: Oru Vilapam (2003)
• Mazhanoolkkanavu (2003)
• Bheri (2002)
• The Gift of God (2001)
• Jeevan Masai (2001)
• Neythukaran (2001)
• Mookkuthi (2001)
• Mazhanoolkkanavu (2000)
• Thottam (2000)
• Susanna (2000)
• Neelathadaakatthile Nizhalppakshikal (2000)
• Devadasi (1999)
• Gaandhiyan (1999)
• Gopalan Nairude Thaadi (1999)
• Manthrikumaran (1998) as Ravunni
• Snehadoothu (1997)
• Bhoothakkannadi (1997)
• Kalyaanakkacheri (1997)
• Oru Neenda Yathra (1996)
• Vidheyan (1994) as Thommi
• Galileo (1994)
• Naaraayam (1993)
• Ardram (1992)
• Mathilukal (1990)

Television

Year	Title	Channel	Notes
2024- present	Super Kanmani	Mazhavil Manorama
2023	Seetharamam	Surya TV
2023-present	mazhayethum munpe	Amrita tv
2022	Ullathai Allitha	Colors Tamil	Tamil Serial
2021	Manam Pole Mangalyam	Zee Keralam
2020–2022	Ente Maathavu	Surya TV
2019-2020	Thamarathumbi
2018	Athmasakhi	Mazhavil Manorama
2018–2020	Neelakkuyil	Asianet
2017	Mamangam	Flowers TV
2016	Manjurukum Kalam	Mazhavil Manorama
2015	Bandhuvaru Shathruvaru
	Sulu Nivas	Janam TV
2014	Bhagyalakshmi	Surya TV
	Mohakkadal
2013	Sparsham	Media One
2013-2014	Amala	Mazhavil Manorama
2013	Sandhyaragam	Amrita TV
2012	Amma	Asianet
2011-2012	Ilam Thennal Pole	Surya TV
2010	Mattoruval
	Lipstick	Asianet
2009	Sreemahabhagavatham
	Mangalya Pattu	Kairali TV
	Anantham	DD
2008	Aranazhika neram	Amrita TV
2007	Kalyani	Surya TV
2006	Kaavyanjali
	Kanalppoovu	Kairali TV
2003	Swantham	Asianet
	Punnaykka Vikasana Corporation	DD Malayalam
2002	Sadasivante Kumbasaram
	Jwaalayaay
1999	Pulari
	Balyakal Smaranakal
	Manikyan
	Alakal
	Snehathinte Mullukal
	Chandrodayam
1998	Thamarakuzhali
1998	Pattolaponnu
1994	Koodaram
1988	Mandan Kunju
1986	Kunjayyappan

Awards

Kerala State Film Awards

• 1993: Special Jury Award for Acting – Vidheyan
• 1999: Second Best Actor – Gopalan Nairude Thaadi

Kerala State Television Awards

• 1994: Best Actor – Koodaaram
• 1998: Best Actor – Pattolapponnu
• 1999: Best Actor – Pulari, Baalyakaala Smaranakal
• 2004: Best Supporting Actor – Fiction
• 2008: Second Best Actor – Aranaazhika Neram

Asianet Television Awards

• 2019: Best actor in a character role - Neelakkuyil (TV series)

External links

• M. R. Gopakumar at IMDb
• M R Gopakumar at MSI
• Metromatinee
• Malayala Chalachithram