KGF’s ruthless gangster Yash aka Rocky bhai was once your boy-next-door lover boy who ruled box office with romantic dramas

“I had just Rs 300 rupees in my pocket when I reached Bengaluru. I knew if I went back, my parents would never allow me to return. They gave me an ultimatum,” Yash had said.

In his quest for work, Yash came across various individuals who eventually connected him with influential figures in the industry. Introduced to theaters by someone, Yash felt a strong attraction and even traveled to Mumbai for a play. Despite facing hardships and nearly having the show cancelled, Yash finally took the stage and impressed everyone, leading to a role in a Kannada serial.

He considers entering the world of serials as a game-changer because it allowed him to collaborate with influential people and marked a turning point in his career. After spending a few years on the small screen, Yash landed his first movie role in the Kannada film Jambada Hudugi (2007).

Following this, he played a supporting role in the romantic drama Moggina Manasu (2008), earning him a Filmfare award for best supporting actor. The turning point came with his lead role in the superhit film Kirataka (2011).  While initially cast as a romantic hero, Yash decided to switch gears. It was the two KGF movies (Chapters 1 and 2), directed by Prashanth Neel, that catapulted Yash to nationwide fame, starting in 2018.

Back then, KGF faced off against big movies like Maari 2, Seethakaathi, and Antariksham 9000KMPH in Tamil and Telugu. In Hindi, it clashed with Shah Rukh Khan’s much-awaited Zero. Critics weren’t sure about the Kannada film, but surprise, surprise – KGF ended up winning at the box office. Looking at the box office figures, K.G.F: Chapter 2 had a budget of Rs 150 crores and earned a whopping Rs 1210 crores worldwide. In comparison, KGF: Chapter 1, with a budget of Rs 80 crores, brought in Rs 240 crores globally.

Yash had previously opened up about how Neel explained to him the idea of KGF. He said in an interview with Firstpost, “He told me the idea of KGF in vague terms and I kept wondering if he was the same director who had made Uggram, and then, in the midst of all this, he said, ‘Yash! I really want to work with you and I promise you that I would show you in a nice manner.’” And the rest is history.

While Yash is now known for his intense action roles, many fans still miss seeing him in the charming lover boy characters. Yash starred in several big hits like Googly, Gaja Kesari, Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari, Masterpiece, and Santhu Straight Forward. Among them, Mr. & Mrs. Ramachari is a romantic drama filled with comedy that had an extraordinary run at the box office down south. It was such a hit that it got remade in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu.

Yash’s romantic dramas were a hit in the south, earning him the title of the next romantic hero of the industry. For instance, Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari had a budget of 5 crores and a worldwide gross of Rs 50.2 crores. Masterpiece, with a budget of Rs 17 crores, earned Rs 32.4 crores globally. Similarly, Gajakesari, made on a budget of 7 crores, grossed Rs 20.3 crores worldwide.

The actor, whose real name is Naveen Kumar Gowda, has always expressed his desire to share the rich collection of stories from his native film industry with the rest of the country and the world. “My vision since the beginning was to represent my industry and get that due respect from the rest of the country. When Karnataka is doing so well in other fields, I wanted to shine a light on my industry,” Yash recently told PTI.

He will next be seen in the film Toxic.