Happy Friendship Day 2023: Remembering Rebel Star Ambareesh, the fiercest friend

That Rebel Star Ambareesh was a fierce friend and a most flamboyant, large-hearted man during his time is a known fact. When he was around, he was reckoned to be the life of the party, the troubleshooter who would mend broken friendships or sort out disputes and also the one who, quite simply, lived life on his own frolicking terms. As actor Mammootty puts it, Ambareesh was, indeed, the 'Boss'.

Those who knew him well or had ever had the chance to encounter his true personality, would most likely remember that the Rebel Star home was always filled with friends and fans, with food, banter and laughter. 

It is also a known fact that Ambareesh not only retained his friendships but carried them with him all his life with a sense of pride. After his passing in 2018, Bengaluru's Kanteerava stadium was studded with superstars from all across South India but quite fascinatingly, they all recognised themselves as the Rebel Star's friends that day. "We all have a few close friends but Ambareesh had, I think, more than 100 close friends," said superstar Rajinikanth after paying his last respects to Ambareesh in 2018. 

Also Read: In Hindsight: When Rebel Star Ambareesh spoke of his reluctance to audition for Puttanna Kanagal 

The two famously remained friends for over four decades and were on the best of terms throughout, one hears, despite being from different film industries. Rajini's frequent visits to his hometown of Bengaluru would not be complete without meeting Ambareesh, without a customary meal together.

Another of his greatest pals was the Sahasa Simha himself, the late Dr. Vishnuvardhan. Both first served as the poster boys of '70s and '80s Kannada cinema but also made a case for how two stars, with the right kind of attitude, could navigate the tough competition for years together. Well-known film journalist S. Shiva Kumar notes in an old interview that Vishnuvardhan had jokingly cautioned Sumalatha by laying out the "hazards" of marrying someone like Ambareesh, who brims with life, emotions and also expletives!

Telugu superstars Chiranjeevi and Mohan Babu, too, are among the inner circle of friends that Rebel Star Ambi had to his name. The latter, who was uncontrollably emotional following Ambareesh's demise, confessed that he feels lost now that one of his best friends is not around.

Of course, Mammootty and Amabareesh, too, have been the thickest of friends over the years and one never saw a dent in their equation. "You will always be one of the first real friends I made from those early "Madras days" when all of us would film our respective movies in Chennai," wrote the legendary Malayalam actor in a heartfelt post back in 2018.

The term "real friend" is operative here, because Ambareesh wasn't just well regarded in the film circles but also by his fellow politicians. Former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy in his speech in 2018 declared with the Rebel Star's passing, "an era of love and affection in Kannada Film industry has ended," adding that their relationship extended beyond politics and cinema.

Ambareesh, born