The Brand Ambassador May Be ASIN

Asin Thottumkal (Malayalam: അസിന്‍ തോട്ടുങ്കല്‍), (born October 26, 1985) is an Indian film actress from the state of Kerala. She is currently considered to be one of the most popular actresses in the South Indian film industry.

Making her acting debut in Sathyan Anthikkad's Narendra Makan Jayakanthan Vaka (2001), Asin had her first commercial success with Amma Nanna O Tamila Ammayi in 2003, and won a Filmfare Award for the Best Telugu Actress for the film.

After a number of films, she received her second South Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in her second Tamil film, Ghajini (2005). She played the lead female roles in hits, the thriller Ghajini (2005) and the action comedy Varalaru (2006). More recently, Asin made her début in Bollywood, with Ghajini, the remake of its Tamil namesake, subsequently winning the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award Award.

Priyadarshan and Mohanlal’s friendship dates back to several years. In fact the duo used to play cricket for a local Kerala team - City Cricketers. Their passion for cricket is now likely to give birth to a new IPL team. Yes, Kerala could get into the IPL 2010 if BCCI approves the team. The KCA has already given a go ahead signal. The Kerala IPL team has been named after their favorite team City Cricketers.

The Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Shashi Tharoor will be made the Chairman of the team.

Padmashree Mohanlal and director Priyadarshan are planning to start an IPL team for the next season in 2010. The latest buzz is that both of them have met together to discuss the matter in Priyan’s home in Trivandrum. When asked about the matter Priyan said that it would be his dream come true and would seek the help of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) as soon as possible. Since KCA is affiliated to the BCCI, there will be lesser problems and the BCCI is ready to welcome more teams for the next T-20 premier cricket tournament.

When asked about the matter Mohanlal said that there are many talented players who lack exposure and world class training facilities. They will be surely given a chance to prove themselves. According to him the most successful IPL players of this year have been local guys like Manish Pandey, Pragyan Ojha, and Kamran Khan. He also thanked Shah Rukh Khan for giving a chance for players like Mohammed Niaz, Mohammed Sanuth, Rohan Prem, P Prashanth and also master blaster Sanju V Samson to attend the selection trials of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Though they did not get selected the exposure will have surely helped them.

Both Priyadarshan and Mohanlal had formed a cricket team during their schooling days called City Cricketers. During those days Priyan was the opener and Mohanlal was the all-rounder. They wish to keep the same name for the IPL team. For further progress, they have decided to make Trivandrum MP and the new Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr. Shashi Tharoor, the chairman of the cricket team. The whole expense is estimated to be almost Rs. 250 Crore. For this they have already bagged two NRI’s and also some multi-corporates to fund for the team. They have also discussed with Robin Singh, the former Indian cricketer and fielding coach of India to become the technical director. They have also decided to make a huge cricket stadium im Kovalam, Trivandrum.

Former Indian allrounder Robin Singh has been signed to be the technical director of the team.

Priyadarsan says : “Thanks to Shah Rukh Khan, we were able to send five promising lads — Mohammed Niaz, Mohammed Sanuth, Rohan Prem, P Prashanth and teenage batting sensation Sanju V Samson — to attend the selection trials of the Kolkata Knight Riders. They might not have made it to the team, but they got to see how international players train and the exposure has helped them”

What mohanlal says: “We’re trying to nurture local talent, as the most successful IPL players this year have been little known guys like Manish Pandey, Pragyan Ojha, and Kamran Khan. There are a lot of youngsters in the small towns of Kerala and Tamil Nadu waiting to get a break. They have the talent, but lack exposure and world class training facilities”.

City Cricketers, IPL Team Kerala by Mohanlal, Priyadarshan, Asin, Shashi Taroor


Kerala is all set to launch its own Indian premier league (IPL) team titled City Cricketers. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal and bollywood director Priyadarshan are behind the team. As per the reports, they have roped in new bollywood sensation and Kerala born actress Asin to be the brand ambassador and Shashi Tharoor, Union Minister of State for External Affairs, as chairman of the Kerala IPL team - City Cricketers.


Kerala team will debut in IPL 2010 if BCCI approves the inclusion of more teams in the next edition.

The team will be probably named as City Cricketers , the name of the local cricket team in which Mohanlal and Priyadarshan used to play during early years.

The team will have an initial budget of Rs. 200 Crores and will have a practice ground near Kovalam, Trivandrum.

When the likes of SRK, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty are minting money with their IPL teams, can our very own Southern superstars be left out? According to media reports Mohanlal is all set to enter the the bandwagon as well. Accompanying him will be best friend and ace director Priyadarshan. Lalettan and Priyan have apparently expressed interest in entering a Kerala based franchisee for the 2010 edition of the Indian Premier League.

However from the looks of it, it is easier said than done. First of all Kerala doesn’t have a proper stadium. Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Kaloor, Kochi which has so far hosted international matches in the state doesn’t even have a roof to escape the scorching sun. The floodlights are hardly in any working condition. With all the corruption in the Kerala Cricket Association, even if a Tripura or Nagaland is ready to host an IPL match, our administrators in Dheivathinte Swantham Naadu will be still fighting among themselves for a seat next to the cheerleaders. And when cities like Ahmedabad and Kanpur which have better stadia are around, it is unlikely that money hungry BCCI will even consider Kerala.

Apart from Sreesanth, the only Kerala Ranji player in the IPL is Raiphi Gomez of the Rajasthan Royals. Even the Chennai Super Kings of which Kerala is a catchment state, doesn’t have a single mallu in the team. If Kerala’s Ranji recors are anything to go by, even the lowly Knightriders won’t have any problems dispatching them. Priyadarshan has said that he hopes to develop talented cricketers from the state. Hope he doesn’t mean players like Sreesanth. One Appam is more than enough to give us malayalis a ‘good’ name.

City cricketers is the lmohan lal priyadarshanatest Team to register in the Indian premier league. This team is owned by Famous Malayalam actor Mohanlal and Famous Director Priyadarshan.

Both Mohanlal and priyadarshan were friends from child hood and “city cricketers” were the name of their local team.

They have approched Shashi Tharoor the union minister for External Affairs to be the Chairman of the team. Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has given the full support for the team.

Now they need to contact BCCI to get the approval. If they get the approval then in 2010 IPL T20 there will be one more team to participate.

Some NRI’s and corporates are willing to help the team. The project will cost more than 200 Crores and the team will be having a ground near Kovalam