Sreekumaran Thampi takes dig at Suresh Gopi; over not crediting him for song in Parliament

In a surprising move, veteran music composer and lyricist Sreekumaran Thampi publicly criticized Union Minister Suresh Gopi on Friday for failing to credit him when Gopi performed the song “Keralam Keralam” in Parliament. Thampi’s remarks were posted on Facebook, where he expressed disappointment that the minister did not acknowledge the lyricist behind the anthem he sang during the parliamentary session.

Thampi highlighted that Gopi had praised several Malayalam literary and musical icons, including M. T. Vasudevan Nair, Johnson, Vayalar and G. Devarajan, while speaking about his own love for literature and music. However, the lyricist’s name was omitted, prompting Thampi to remark that the minister “was not ready to mention the name of this servant, Sreekumaran Thampi, who wrote the song ‘Keralam Keralam’.” He suggested that Gopi might have found his name difficult to pronounce, referring to him instead as “a great poet.”

Drawing on their shared history, Thampi recalled his role in launching Gopi’s career. He directed the 1980 film “Yuvajanotsavam,” starring Mohanlal, and cast Gopi in a leading antagonist role. Later, when Gopi expressed a desire to become a hero, Thampi wrote the screenplay, dialogues and songs for the film “Aksharatthettu,” which marked Gopi’s debut as a lead actor. Thampi noted that the minister’s mother called him after watching the film in Kollam and thanked him on her behalf, a gesture he believes Gopi may have forgotten.

Thampi added a sardonic note about the minister’s memory, stating, “I know the truth that one should not expect gratitude from anyone,” and hinted that Gopi might still be recalling these events even at the age of 86. He urged the minister to recover from alleged memory problems and mentioned that the lines “Bandhuvaaru shathruvaar, bandhanathin novariyum, kilimakale parayoo…” were also written by him, joking that it would be good if the Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas continued to quote them occasionally.

The exchange underscores the enduring influence of Thampi’s songwriting in Kerala’s cultural landscape and raises questions about the recognition of creative contributors in political settings. The incident has sparked discussion among fans and industry insiders about the importance of crediting artists when their work is used in public forums.