Actors from the Kannada film industry showered praise on late veteran actor Ambareesh, who, they said, was a large-hearted and a wonderful human being.
Bharati Vishnuvardhan
"It is hard to put down in words what I feeling at the moment. We have a lost a wonderful human being and we can't get him back. We are like a family. It is a big loss for the Kannada film industry and the political fraternity. The loss is for the Kannada film industry and the political
fraternity."
Aniruddh Jatkar
“It is hard to come by such a human being. He belonged to a different league. Even when he was scolding someone there was love and a sense of genuinity in it. He was a very clean-hearted human being. I have grown up watching his films. I had recently approached him requesting him to make a special appearance in 'Rajasimha'. He readily agreed and it was indeed an honour for me to share screen space with him. He was someone who didn't expect anything from anybody but generously gave his time and love.”
Rajendra Singh Babu
“Ambareesh didn't have any enemies. He was his own enemy. When I cast him as as hero, nobody accepted it and everybody criticised me. But I had faith that Ambareesh perfectly fit the role. When we shot 'Antha', I thought that he was a suitable hero for that role and the Kannada film industry. Back in those days, there was a preconceived notion about how a hero should be like. We broke all those norms when we cast Ambareesh in the lead. Vishnu, Ambareesh and I started our careers together. We used to ride around in a Jawa motorcycle and Ambareesh always insisted that we remove the silencer. The three of us would also frequent the Hanumanth Hotel in Mysore for biryani at 6 am."
Anant Nag
“We have worked together for the last 40 years and were very close. We have worked together in many films. Ambareesh, Shankar and I worked together in 'Ondu Hennu Aaru Kannu.’ From 1973-74, we have worked together and it is very sad that he has left us. He is four years younger to me, Vishnu and Shankar too were younger to me." "Ambareesh and I couldn’t meet as often as we would have liked to but whenever we did meet we would start off from where we left. He was always positive and his positivity is something that everyone could learn from. He remained in high spirits despite his ill-health. His son is very young and I pray that God gives his wife and son strength to carry on from here.”
Aindrita Ray
“He has played my father in two of my films --- Vayuputra and Veera Parampare. I still remember on the first day of shooting for Vayuputra, I had a scene with him I was very scared. I told the director that I was scared. To this Ambareesh sir made it a point to do everything he could to make me feel comfortable. He was jovial and there was never a dull moment when he was on the sets. He would make sure to light up the sets in the few hours that he was there. I was going to meet him next week to invite him to my wedding. He was the top name on my list.”
Krishna Ajai Rao
“I have not acted with him but I was close to him. He would always tell me that I am no less than his son Abhishek to him. Whenever we met, he would call me, put his arms around my shoulder and talk. Most recently, he came on the sets of 'Thayi Takka Maga' and joked with us. We used to run to him in times of trouble and now his absence has left a void in the Kannada film industry. He sincerely worked towards the betterment of the Kannada film industry.“
Girija Lokesh
“I have acted with him in four or five films. He was always jovial. No matter how serious the issue in hand, he would handle it with grace and maturity. There was no hypocrisy in him and had no double standards. He would speak his mind and was very respectful towards women. He never passed any negative comment about anybody, especially women. This is one quality that I admired about him."
Avinash
“He was a wonderful human being who lived his life to the fullest. I have worked in quite a few films with him. The three most important people --- Dr Rajkumar, Vishnuvardhan and now Ambareesh have gone. The whole generation is one. I feel like the industry is being orphaned by his death. We are all going to miss his flamboyancy, large-heartedness and his deep voice -- it will take a long time before we can digest his absence.”
Meghana Raj
“None of us wanted him to go. I can’t believe that he is no more. He was not just an actor for us, he was God for us. Everytime, something went wrong, Ambareesh would be the person we would run to. Now that he is not there, we don't know where to go.”
Sanjjanaa Galrani
"He stood by me like my own father. And come what may he would always find solutions to any problem, including the latest situation that I had got into. No one in today's times takes so much stress or responsibility for other's problems but Ambareesh sir did. As an actor from the younger generation of the Kannada film industry, I feel we have lost a father amongst us."