Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Wednesday criticised a popular Malayalam film actress for demanding Rs five lakh as remuneration for choreographing the welcome dance and song of the upcoming state school youth festival.

Without naming the actress, the minister said she demanded a hefty amount for teaching children a 10-minute-long presentation.

The minister was heard speaking during a programme, the voice clip of which was aired by TV channels.

Terming it as "greed" and "arrogance", he said though such people have risen to fame through youth festivals, they forget their roots.

"She demanded Rs five lakh... what an arrogance! The main issue is that there is no decrease in their greed despite they have reached such position," he said.

Sivankutty further said the department decided to exclude the particular actress and opt for dedicated artists for the same.

"I am not saying the name of the actress... If I do so, it will become a big news on the media," he added.

The minister also recalled the gesture of well-known actor Fahad Fazil when he was invited to the Onam celebrations last year.

He said the actor, who came by flight, attended the event without any remuneration and reached on time.

The state youth festival, which would see the participation of thousands of children, is scheduled to be held in January next year.