Mohanlal resents moral policing

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid heated debate over moral policing and vigilantism, Malayalam superstar Mohanlal has come out against the tendency to coerce others into moral positions by encroaching on individual choices.

Writing in his blog on the topic, the 54-year-old actor said morality is "individual-based" in its various dimensions and "not to be decided by a person or an organisation".

"Our morality has got some custodians now. Political parties and religious leaders have entered the scene as moral police. We have never seen them intervening so actively in any public issue," the actor wrote.

Lal, who has carved a niche with his diverse characters, said those who claim themselves to be guardians of morality were never prompt to respond when a bridge collapsed or a child brutally raped or anybody died due to sorcery.

An avid blogger, who writes his thoughts and impressions on various issues, Lal said morality can not be defined by any particular code of law.

"Morality is individual-based in many aspects. Nobody has the right to infringe on it. But, we should also take some precautions while living in a society," he said.

India is a country which has a strong legal system and neither political parties nor religious heads has any right to position themselves as guardians of law, he noted.

On the recent controversial 'Kiss of Love' campaign organised in Kochi against moral policing, Lal said individuals had their own right to kiss or not to kiss.

The three-time national award-winning actor also posted a picture of his mother kissing him on his cheek.