Rebel star Ambareesh cremated with Full State Honours in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Scores of fans and followers led by top south Indian actors bid farewell to Kannada actor and former union minister Ambareesh as his mortal remains were cremated with full state honours.

Even as the army sounded the bugle to mark the last rites, a 21 gun salute was given to the body while still in the glass casket draped in the Tricolour. Ambareesh's son Abhishek Gowda, lit the pyre, amid chanting of vedic hymns and loud cries.

Ambareesh, a Kannada actor, who was popularly known as the 'rebel star' passed away last night after suffering cardiac arrest. The 66-year-old leader was admitted at Vikram Hospital in Bengaluru for multiple ailments.

The demise of the popular actor-turned-politician has elicited a response from hundreds of well-wishers across film and political circles. Film stars including Rajnikanth, Chiranjivi, Mohan Babu , Sarath Kumar and Prakash Raj attended the ceremony at the Kanteerava Stadium on Sunday while politicians cutting across political parties also visited to pay their last respects to the actor.

He had been an MP for three terms from 1998-99, 1999-2004 and 2004-2009 and was also served as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, from 2006 to 2008. He entered politics in the year 1994.