National games performance: Mohanlal won’t take back money

Kochi: Actor Mohanlal has declined to take back the money he had returned to the state government following the controversy over the music programme, ‘Lalisom,’ staged at the inaugural ceremony of the National Games.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and sports minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan visited the actor  at his residence in Kochi on Saturday to persuade him  to take back the cheque for over Rs 1.63 crore issued to him, but they drew a blank. 

Read: Games row: Govt rejects Mohanlal's offer to return money

“The government will approve any proposal made by the actor to utilise the money,” Mr Thiruvanchoor told reporters. 

“The government is unhappy over the hurt caused to a great artist like Mohanlal,” he said and added that the Chief Minister himself had taken the initiative to resolve the issue on account of Lal’s standing as an artist.

Mr Chandy and Mr Thiruvanchoor reached Lal’s house at Thevara around 7.15 a.m. and spent about 15 minutes there.