Mohanlal is brand ambassador for Kerala AIDS campaign

Thiruvananthapuram, March 12 IANS) Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who attracted much flak in Kerala for a liquor advertisement, is the state's goodwill ambassador for an AIDS awareness campaign.

"As an actor, it is my responsibility to take part in such programmes and I decided to become the goodwill ambassador," said the superstar at a function to felicitate his new role Monday.

The earlier controversial endorsement that landed the star in trouble was for a liquor brand produced in Karnataka but owned by a Kerala businessman. The actor, who has just completed his silver jubilee on the silver screen, was criticised for a question he asks in the commercial: "What's up this evening?"

A two-minute promo film on AIDS awareness shows Mohanlal interacting with an HIV-positive person to drive home the message that "in life there is no retake".

The government will carry the anti-AIDS message all through the state with the help of Kudumbhashree, a woman-oriented programme of the state.

The actor, who was irked by the 'moral police' in Kerala when they attacked him over the liquor promo, is said to be restoring balance to his socially committed image with this move.