Kannada News

Kannada Actor-Politician Ambareesh Dies at 66

By Aarthi Murali

Kannada actor and politician MH Ambareesh died of cardiac arrest on Saturday in Bangalore. He was 66. He was taken to Vikram Hospital in Bangalore on Saturday evening after he complained of breathlessness. At 9.15 pm he died of  cardiac arrest, and a reported kidney ailment.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Ambareesh is survived by actor-wife Sumalatha and his son Abhishek.

Ambareesh was MH Gowda Amarnath’s screen name. He was born on May 29, 1952, and had a four-decade long career as an actor in Kannada film industry. His first film was Nagarahavu, directed by late Puttanna Kannagal in 1972, where he played a villain called ‘Jaleela’. He won the national award for this debut performance in Nagarahavu. He then went on to act in over 200 films as an antagonist mostly, won several state honours, and came to be known as a ‘rebel star’.

His last film was Ambi Ning Vayassaytho which released in September this year. The film featured Ambareesh in the lead role, as an old stunt master who lives with his family in his village after retirement. It starred Suhasini Maniratnam with Ambareesh after 14 years. And the movie was a remake of 2017 Tamil film Pa Paandi.

Back in 1995, Ambareesh entered politics. His political stint started as a Congress party member during the 1994 elections. He quit the party two years later for not being allowed to contest the 1996 general election. He later joined Janata Dal and won in the 1998 general election from Mandya, his home town.

He was a former Union Minister of State under Manmohan Singh’s UPA government, and a three-time Lok Sabha member. He was also the Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, from 2006 to 2008.

Apart from being an politician, and a ‘rebel star’, he was also a friend to many including Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, and Rajinikanth. On hearing the news of his death last night, people from the film industry and outside expressed their condolences on Twitter. Karnataka CM, Deputy CM and Rajinikanth were among the first.

Rajini said, “A wonderful human being, my best friend, I have lost you today.”

The CM said in his tweet, “In his death an era of love and affection in the Kannada film industry has ended. With Ambrish I enjoyed a friendship that went beyond political affiliations and films.”

The Prime Minister, as well as Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted this morning. PM Modi said, “Ambareesh will always be remembered for his memorable performances as an actor and extensive contribution to politics. He was a strong voice for Karnataka’s welfare, at the state and central level.”

Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “The Congress family has lost a valuable member. He was a famous son of Karnataka, whose work as an actor & and in politics, won him a huge following both in the state & across India.”

Venkaiah Naidu, and other politicians, including Congress party members their expressed grief over Ambareesh’s death.

Others from the industry like Laxmi Rai, Eesha Rebba, Radhika Sarathkumar, and cricketer VVS Lakshman also expressed condolences.

Ambareesh’s body will be kept at Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore today for public to visit and pay last respects.

Image Source: The Indian Express

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Aarthi Murali is a Alum at Silverscreen India, and can be reached by email at aarthi.murali@silverscreen.in