Anyone who knows me will know of my disdain for superstardom. What little remnants were in me; of that unabashed kind of love for a 'star' will die today with Ambareesh. Our Rebel Star. Quirky, abrasive, occasionally naive even, in his desire to help people...
While he's popular for his macho depictions, I will remember him differently. Him, along with Vishnuvardhan were superstar heroes who weren't afraid to appear vulnerable on screen. Films ended with the characters lost, defeated..
But also, the sexual energy he brought on screen. While Dr. Raj presented an image of a regal, almost flawless lover; Vishnu and his near-sterile selfless romance; Ambi was nervous, bumbling, sexy.
Unfortunately the makers of the time created largely patriarchal characters, but they were never the brazen misogynists of today's films. The men played by Ambi and Vishnu empathised with the women around them.
Coming back to being starstruck- two incidents that I will recollect with great hilarity. At the inauguration of BIFFES '16, Jaya Bachchan showed her gratitude to the organisers by saying Bangalore/Mysore was an unlucky place for her family. (What's an MP without superstition?)
When it was Ambi's turn to speak, he spoke straight to her, said Ramgarh, the soil that brought her family the riches of Sholay, wasn't too far from here. "What bad luck Madam? There is no such thing."
He also mildly pulled Sanjay Leela Bhansali's leg in the same speech; that Kannada cinema while severely restricted resourcewise, still stands up to the giants of Bollywood. "Your film, the budget of one song Sir, we make TWO films. We will still compete with you."
At the closing of the ceremony of the festival, as all the recipients of various awards shook hands with dignitaries, Ambi walked up after the Chief Minister. And as much as I detest superstardom, I swear, the man had swag, and I was smitten for a moment.
The reason perhaps that we may not see such ascents to stardom anymore is because those were people from a more innocent or naive time. No PR firms, no marketing blitzs... just swag, and good filmmakers.. Ambi, we remember with much fondness.
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