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.