Ambareesh had a large number of friends and fans in the coffee land of Chikkamagaluru. He had shot for his movies in different parts of Chikkamagaluru district.
His tryst with Chikkamagaluru's Golf Club was another reason for his affinity with the district. He had played golf at the club several times in the past.
Congress leader B L Shankar said, "Though Ambareesh would speak in a rough manner, he had a child's heart. I had interacted with him several times in the past."
"Ambareesh was a friendly person. When there were differences of opinion between S M Krishna and Ambareesh, I had mediated between them," he remembered.
Congress President D L Vijaykumar said, "Ambareesh had stayed in my house in the past."