Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has released its new advertisement featuring Malayalam actor Mohanlal, marking the first time a state-run road transport corporation in India has launched a branded promotional campaign of this scale.

The advertisement was unveiled by Kerala Assembly Speaker A N Shamseer in the presence of Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar at a function in Thiruvananthapuram. Filmmaker Antony Perumbavoor and actor-director Srikant Murali were among those who attended the launch.

Directed by filmmaker Priyadarshan, the campaign draws on Mohanlal’s early film journey. The theme references his trip to Alappuzha to act in his debut film 'Manjil Virinja Pookkal', linking that journey to KSRTC services. The advertisement positions KSRTC as a long-standing companion in the lives of Malayalis.

Mohanlal to serve as KSRTC goodwill ambassador

Transport Minister Ganesh Kumar said Mohanlal had expressed willingness to serve as KSRTC’s goodwill ambassador several months ago. The minister earlier stated that the actor would associate with the corporation without remuneration.

Mohanlal had also participated in a KSRTC event in 2025 as part of the corporation’s rebranding initiative. During that period, he travelled on a KSRTC service branded as “Orma Express”, introduced to promote heritage and nostalgia-based journeys.

Following a visit to newly introduced KSRTC buses, Mohanlal had remarked that Kerala’s public transport system was undergoing significant changes.