Lakhs spent from govt fund to meet expenses of CM-Mohanlal interview

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The information is that government fund was used for the interview by actor Mohanlal with the chief minister. An amount of Rs 11,21,000 was spent for the interview. According to the RTI, the entire amount was used from government funds. However, the RTI copy also states that government facilities were not used. The RTI document was released by Rijo Vallamkulam of Thiruvalla.

The interview was named 'Kandum Mindiyum Iruvar'. The interview was shot in two days at Cliff House. The teaser of the interview was widely discussed. The content was about the chief minister's political and personal lives. However, the opposition ridiculed the interview as a PR stunt. The CPM's response was that the personal relationship between Mohanlal and Pinarayi was behind the interview.

A team led by renowned director T K Rajeev Kumar is behind the interview. Pinarayi Vijayan hinted about such a program to Mohanlal during a meeting with the chief minister when the actor arrived in Thiruvananthapuram. Mohanlal happily agreed to it. Mohanlal had previously conducted such an interview with the then opposition leader Oommen Chandy ahead of the 2011 assembly elections.