THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has been made the goodwill ambassador of handloom textiles in Kerala. Appointment of Mohanlal assumes significance as an earlier move by the state government to make him the brand ambassador of 'Khadi' had drawn flak from cultural leaders.
Former Pro Vice-Chancellor of Calicut University and renowned pro-Left critic Sukumar Azhikode had objected to the appointment of Mohanlal as 'Khadi' ambassador as the actor had appeared in a liquor advertisement earlier. However the government maintained that they had not taken the step to make the actor a khadi ambassador.
The state government had earlier backtracked from its decision to make Amithabh Bachchan the brand ambassador of Kerala tourism, after objection from CPI-M. The party's leadership had argued that the actor was also brand ambassador for Gujarat where BJP''s Narendra Modi is the Chief Minister.