HUBBALLI: If you close your eyes and listen to the protagonist’s voice in this 10-minute play, you will feel certain that the performance stars late actor Ambareesh.
For Fakkiresh Naikar, the film star’s death has brought a surge of mixed emotions. Naikar, who is also known as Junior Ambareesh, is seeing a gush of performance requests since the ‘Rebel Star’ passed away on November 24.
In the last 20 days, at least five organisations have contacted Naikar, inviting him to stage his 10-minute play where he performs as the Kannada film star. People at his native place, Malliwad in Hubballi taluk, who have been feeling the loss of their icon, pester him to recite the actor’s dialogues.
“Several government organisations contact me for short performance on Ambareesh. But in the last two weeks, many organisations across Dharwad district and beyond have been calling me for functions that are being organised in the memory of Ambareesh,” says Naikar, who practises a little bit of farming in his small patch of land. Most of his time during the year is, however, spent in mimicking and acting like his guru.
He has staged over 1,000 shows on Ambareesh so far. In the last 10 years, he has travelled to most parts of North Karnataka, and also Bengaluru, for the performance. “As soon as I enter the stage, Ambareesh’s fans start clapping,” he says.
Naikar is also part of an association of artistes in Hubballi named after Ambareesh. “We are planning to soon organise an programme in the late actor’s memory,” he adds.
“I use to perform in college, reciting famous lines from his films. Though I don’t resemble him closely, I practised his style of walking, and dialogue delivery, especially his unique aspects like the pauses he took while speaking. A close friend of mine, Siddarama Shivalli, arranged the costumes from his films, and it became a big hit,” Naikar says.
Naikar, however, takes little credit for the fame that has come his way. “Like they say, you can perform the role of Krishna, but you cannot be Krishna,” he says. “Likewise, I have no intention to become another Ambareesh. I always want to follow in his footsteps.”
When ‘Junior’ met ‘Senior’
Naikar met Ambareesh five years back on his birthday in Bengaluru. Though most of his fans returned, Naikar stayed back as he had prepared something special for his idol. He recited the birthday wish for Ambareesh, in the form of his dialogues. Each line included a film featuring the actor. Impressed by his talent, the star gave him some money, and advised him not to ignore his family and farming. “Ambareesh sir said I am Hubballi Gandu, like he is known as Mandyada Gandu. I have met him three times, but the last meeting was memorable,” Naikar recalled.
“I received many calls on the day Ambareesh died. I went to Bengaluru the next day to have a final glimpse of my hero.”
Dreams to perform in Mandya
Naikar has never held a show in the Manya and Mysuru region. “I wish to perform before the crowd of Mandya, the real fans of Ambareesh,” he says.