CM–Mohanlal interview costs ₹11 lakh; ‘Kandum Mindiyum Iruvar’ sparks controversy

Thiruvananthapuram: An interview program titled ‘Kandum Mindiyum Iruvar’, featuring Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and actor Mohanlal, has courted fresh controversy. According to Right to Information (RTI) documents, ₹11,21,000 was spent from the state treasury for making the interview.

The details were revealed by the Information and Public Relations Department in response to an RTI application filed by Rijo Vallamkulam, a native of Thiruvalla. While the documents confirm that government funds were used, they also state that official government systems were not utilised for the production.

The interview was filmed over two days at the Chief Minister’s official residence, Cliff House. It was helmed by noted filmmaker TK Rajeev Kumar and his team. The program, which touches upon the Chief Minister’s political journey and personal life, had already generated buzz on social media with its teaser releases. Reports suggest that Pinarayi Vijayan himself had earlier proposed the idea during a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram, which Mohanlal accepted gladly.

Meanwhile, the opposition has come down heavily against the program, dismissing it as a mere “PR stunt.” This is not the first time Mohanlal has conducted such an interview with a political leader—he had previously interacted with former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy ahead of the 2011 Assembly elections.