Before the advent of the Internet, there were very few stars who had pan-Indian appeal. The likes of Khans which were portrayed by the media as cultural ambassadors did not actually represent India’s diversity. But Internet has ravaged the stardom landscape. Now, South Indian superstars are gaining more and more accolades from their fans all around the country. Sandalwood superstar Yash is one of them.
Started his career by acting in TV serials
Born on 8th January 1986 as Naveen Kumar Gowda, Yash is one of the most successful and highest-paid actors of the Kannada film industry, also known as Sandalwood. He had a humble childhood as his father, Arun Kumar J. worked for KSRTC transport service, and his mother, Pushpa, is a homemaker.
Yash’s initial days were full of struggles. His first acting assignment was a teleserial Nanda Gokula directed by Ashok Kashyap, which aired on ETV Kannada. His performance was praised by many critics due to which, he was offered other serials like Malebillu muktha and Preeti Illada Mele.
Took some time to give commercial hits
His first appearance on the big screen came in the 2008 movie, Moggina Manasu. In this movie, he appeared in a supporting role. Yash’s character again drew critical praise and he won the Filmfare award for best supporting actor. The same year witnessed Yash getting his first lead role in the movie Rocky.
Though his acting and screen presence were praised by everyone, it took time for him to get his first commercial hit. 2010 movie Modalasala was his first high earning movie. Next year, his movie Kirataka also returned with excellent box office numbers.
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Highest paid actor
Yash soon became a favourite of the Kannada film industry and established stars were lining up to work with him. In 2012, Yash appeared in the movie Lucky in which her opposite number was Ramya. In 2012, Yash acted in the movie Jaanu and Drama. The drama was one of the biggest commercial successes of the year.
By giving numbers, Yash became one of the highest-paid actors of South Indian movies. He was now being compared to someone like Mahesh Babu. For the next 4-years, he acted in movies like Googly, Gajakesari, Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari , Masterpiece, Santhanu Straight; all of which were critically acclaimed as well as commercial hits.
KGF gave him pan-India success
Until 2017, Yash was believed to be a regional superstar. However, he proved them wrong with his blockbuster KGF. In 2018, Yash starred in KGF, a movie that is in the line of pan-India hits like Baahubali, Magadheera etc.
The movie was originally released in Kannada. However, producers also dubbed the movie to other languages like Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. It seems that Yash had put his career on the line for this movie. After all, the movie’s budget was the highest in the Kannada film industry. Any negative feedback would have made Yash a failed superstar in his industry.
Yash did not disappoint his fans. The movie with a budget of Rs 50 crore gave phenomenal returns to its producers. Its gross revenue was Rs 250 crore, 400 percent more than the original budget. Soon, Yash’s fanbase witnessed a radical shift in terms of diversity. In fact, the Bollywood audience was mesmerized by his screen presence.
Read more: From KGF to Pushpa, South Indian films are crushing Bollywood in all aspects
Replacement for Khans
Yash provided a departure point to the Bollywood audience. Up until KGF, the Bollywood audience had one of the two choices to make. If they got an actor with a good physique and style, they would have to sacrifice their hunger for good acting; on the other hand, good actors are not particularly famous for their ‘looks’.
Yash’s combo of strong physique, long hair with unmatched acting made him instant favourites in the Hindi belt. So much so, that many believe that KGF2 will be the final nail in the coffin of the Khans’ declining popularity. In fact, in April this year, the supremacy war is expected to reach its zenith.
On April 14, Amir Khan’s movie Laal Singh Chaddha is set to collide with Yash’s KGF on the big screen. This is being portrayed as a mega war between the two superstars, something which was reserved for competition between two stars of the same industry. Amir Khan has tried to play safe by apologising for the same date, but the final decision lies with the audience.