Superstar Mohanlal clears air about his political entry, says 'Not my cup of tea'
He said "Politics is not the subject I know a lot about"
Hyderabad: The actor who was recently honoured with the Padma Bhushan Award, added that he is happy with his acting profession and that he is not thinking of contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from any party.
"I enjoy my profession as an actor because it gives me a lot of freedom. A lot of people will depend on you if you become a politician. Also, it’s not a subject that I know a lot about and soit is not my cup of tea" he was quoted as saying.
His statement is timed after Kerala BJP General Secretary MT Ramesh, had announced that the saffron party was planning to get the superstar on board to contest the Lok Sabha elections from a constituency of his choice.
Speculations were also made of his political entry after he was awarded the Padma Bhushan award, a move credited to his cordial relationship with the BJP, by political experts.
However, his fans’ official body ‘Mohanlal Fans and Welfare Association’ had voiced their dissent to the reports and had stated that they will oppose any moves towards his political entry.
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Barcelona legend Xavi Applies for India Head Coach Job, AIFF Rejects Due to Financial Constraints
New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) was taken by surprise during its ongoing search for a new head coach for the Indian national football team, when it received an application from none other than former Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez.
According to a report in the Times of India, Xavi’s name was listed among several other applicants, including former India head coach Stephen Constantine and ex-Liverpool player Harry Kewell. What raised eyebrows was that the application had been sent from Xavi’s personal email address. However, the contact number field was left blank, which left AIFF officials unsure about how to proceed.
Confirming the development, AIFF’s National Team Director Subrata Paul told TOI, “It’s correct that Xavi’s name was there. The application was emailed to the AIFF.”
Despite the excitement around such a high-profile name, the AIFF had to reject Xavi’s application due to budgetary limitations. A member of the AIFF's technical committee admitted that while it was flattering to receive Xavi’s interest, it was simply not feasible. “Even if Xavi was genuinely interested in Indian football and could be convinced to take up the job, we would need a lot of money,” the official told TOI.
Xavi had earlier stated in an interview that he closely follows Indian football, largely due to the increasing presence of Spanish coaches in the Indian Super League (ISL).
Xavi Hernandez, a product of FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy, is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Known for his vision and passing accuracy, he played 767 official matches for Barcelona, forming a formidable midfield trio alongside Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.
During his playing career at Barcelona, Xavi won five La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey trophies, and three UEFA Champions League titles. After leaving the club in 2015, he joined Al Sadd in Qatar, where he added four more trophies before retiring in 2019. On the international stage, Xavi was a key part of the Spanish national team that won the UEFA Euro titles in 2008 and 2012, and the FIFA World Cup in 2010.
As a coach, Xavi enjoyed notable success with Barcelona as well, leading the team to victory in the 2023 Supercopa de España and the 2022–23 La Liga season.
