Indiantelevision.com Team

(30 June 2006 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has decided against endorsing the whisky brand Original Choice, owned by the Bangalore-based Jones Distillaries. The star was supposed to promote the company's mineral water brand in the same name, as part of its surrogate advertising strategy.

According to a Sify.com report, Mohanlal was offered Rs 10 million as remuneration for donning the role of the brand ambassador for Original Choice. As per the report, the actor decided to opt out of the assignment, foreseeing the pain and anguish it would create among his fans.

Apart from that, Mohanlal is also the brand ambassador of the ayurvedic brand Pankajakasthoori. Lal has also been taking part in television programmes produced by the company, to promote ayurveda in the country. Hence, the actor felt that, it would be a clash of diverse sentiments, if he was endorsing a liquor brand.

In 2004, Lal's arch rival in Malayalam film space, Mammootty had withdrawn from an endorsement assignment offered by cola major Coco Cola. He didn't take up the offer, keeping in mind the anti-Cola sentiment that had gripped Kerala during that time.