Pinarayi Vijayan sheds light on little-known aspects of his life in a free-wheeling interview with actor Mohanlal

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan shed airy connected little-known aspects of his beingness successful an seemingly free-wheeling interrogation with histrion Mohan Lal, which was broadcast connected prime-time tv connected Thursday (February 26, 2026).

Mr. Vijayan revealed his emotion for Rajanikanth movies and his penchant for enactment flicks. He besides dwelled connected however speechmaking had helped him motion disconnected his puerility fearfulness of “ghosts and demons”

“Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina shaped my worldview. The Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and different classical Hindu texts kindled successful maine a tone of renunciation emblematic of sanyasis. It taught maine to beryllium contented with what I person and not pursuit worldly benefits,” helium said. He termed Communist veteran A.K. Gopalan as a “role model”.

Mr. Vijayan’s voice faltered mildly erstwhile helium remembered his mother. “My parent had 14 children. I was the youngest. Eleven of my siblings died young, my 2 elder brothers and I remained,” helium said.

Mr. Vijayan recalled that aft penning his horoscope, his UP schoolhouse teacher urged his parent to “pursue my studies till I failed”. In those days, helium said, children dropped retired of schoolhouse successful 5th people and went to roll beedis. He said his UP schoolhouse teacher called him “mukhyasthan”, which became a puerility nickname.

Mr. Vijayan remembered that his parent had died resting connected his shoulder, and aft taking a sip of water, helium offered. “I had nary words”, helium said.

Deep loss

Mr. Vijayan’s words conveyed a akin consciousness of heavy nonaccomplishment and poignancy erstwhile helium dwelt connected the untimely decease of CPI(M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. “I could not implicit the remembrance speech. Losing a comrade, particularly 1 you see volition stay aft you leave, is shattering,” helium said.

Mr. Vijayan revealed his emotion for football, and shot badminton, which helium played arsenic a youngster. “We fashioned bats and balls retired of coconut leaves and stems”, helium said.

When asked whether helium had immoderate “weakness”, Mr. Vijayan told however a governmental rival had threatened to kidnap his children. “Some perceived that my children were my weakness,” helium said.

“Mr. Vijayan said governmental witch hunts and slander campaigns did not perturb him. “The enactment is my strength, and integrity, my bulwark,” helium said.

Mr. Vijayan revealed his emotion for animals, introduced his favored Labrador, Robin, and shared his views connected religion and spirituality, quoting a enactment from the Upanishad his schoolhouse teacher had taught him. “God is successful your doings and conscience. Chasing idols is of nary meaning,” helium said.