Ambareesh

Malavalli Huchchegowda Amarnath (29 May 1952 – 24 November 2018), known by his screen name Ambareesh, was an Indian actor, media personality, politician from the state of Karnataka.

Alongside Rajkumar and Vishnuvardhan, he is counted in Kannada cinema's "triumvirate" as its most celebrated actor.

Ambareesh was born on 29 May 1952 in Doddarasinakere village of Mandya district in the erstwhile Mysore State (now Karnataka).

He was named "Malavalli Huchchegowda Amarnath", and was the sixth of seven children to Hucchegowda and Padmamma.

His granduncle was the violinist, Chowdiah.

Ambareesh completed his schooling in Mandya before moving to Mysore for higher studies.

While the eminent Kannada film director Puttanna Kanagal was in search of a new face to play a brief antagonist role for his upcoming film, one of Ambareesh's close friends, Sangram Singh, suggested his name for the screen test much against his wishes.

At his screen test, he was asked to walk in a certain fashion, utter a dialogue and toss a cigarette in his mouth.

With his debut in Puttanna Kanagal's Naagarahaavu (1972), Ambareesh's acting career commenced with a brief phase of portraying antagonistic and supporting characters.

After establishing himself as a lead actor portraying rebellious characters on screen in several commercially successful films, he earned the moniker Rebel Star, similar to Krishnam Raju in Telugu cinema.

He also earned the nickname Mandyada Gandu ( Man of Mandya) and continues to hold a matinee idol status in the popular culture of Karnataka.

Impressed, Kanagal cast him in his 1972 film Naagarahaavu.

The film also saw the debut of Vishnuvardhan, another actor who would go on to become one of Kannada cinema's most popular actors.

Ambareesh played the angry young man of the 1980s, and several films were tailor-made accordingly.

Ambareesh appeared in about 208 films, including other films of Kanagal such as Paduvaaralli Pandavaru, Shubhamangala, Masanada Hoovu and Ranganayaki (1981).

, Ambareesh had acted in most films as lead in Kannada films, surpassing Rajkumar's record of 206 films as a lead actor and Vishnuvardhan's record of 230 films (including Kannada, Hindi, Tamil and Malayalam films) as a lead actor.

The record has not been broken yet.

He also was a supporting actor many times at the beginning of their careers.

The earliest of them was the political satire Antha (1981), directed by Rajendra Singh Babu and remade into Hindi and Tamil.

This controversial film was the first in India to depict politicians and government officials as corrupt and villainous.

Chakravyuha and New Delhi were made on the same lines, the first remade into Hindi as Inquilaab, starring Amitabh Bachchan and the second a remake of the Malayalam hit of the same name.

His other notable films include Ranganayaki, Tony, Rani Maharani, Olavina Udugore, Hrudaya Haadithu, Hongkongnalli Agent Amar, Mannina Doni and Odahuttidavaru.

His performance in Masanada Hoovu, Elu Suttina Kote and Sreekumaran Thampi's Malayalam film Gaanam (1982) received critical acclaim.

Thampi cast Ambareesh after being impressed with his performance in Ranganayaki.

Despite turning out to be a commercial failure, the film went on to win the Kerala State Film Award for Best Film with Popular Appeal and Aesthetic Value.

Ambareesh also showed great performance in Mamateya Madilu, Hrudaya Haadithu, Elu Sutinaa Kote and Mouna Raga.

He also acted with legend Rajkumar.

He is well known as Mandyada Gandu, Kaliyuga Karna (for his generosity), and Rebel Star.

He was awarded the State award for best actor for Antha and best supporting role for Masanada Hoovu, NTR Award by Andhra Pradesh Government, Film Fare best actor award for Olavina Udugore and Film Fare Award (lifetime achievement award).

He was the first Kannada actor to inaugurate the world-famous Mysore Dasara festival organized by the government of Karnataka.

After entering politics in 1994, Ambareesh became a three-time member of the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament representing Mandya, first from Janata Dal and the latter two times from the Indian National Congress, a member of which he remained till his death.

Ambareesh joined the Indian National Congress (INC) ahead of the assembly election in 1994.

He campaigned for the party in the election after having been "too late to be given a ticket".

However, he was met with a lukewarm reception from the public having been "greeted with slippers and rotten vegetables at a couple of public meetings."

During the third term, he briefly served as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, between October 2006 and February 2007, as part of the First Manmohan Singh ministry.

He also won the Karnataka Government's Dr. Vishnuvardhan Award in 2011.

Between 2013 and 2016, he was a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly and served as the Minister of Housing during the time as part of the Siddaramaiah cabinet.

Besides winning many State Film Awards and Filmfare Awards South during his acting career, Ambareesh was honoured with the honorary doctorate by the Karnatak University in 2013.

He is also a recipient of NTR National Award, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award – South and Dr. Vishnuvardhan Award, all awarded recognizing lifetime achievements and contribution to cinema.

Having suffered from a breathing problem in 2014, Ambareesh died four years later.