His father earned Rs 14 a day, he once slept on Bengaluru streets. Actor recalls why his dad refused to quit his bus driver job even after he became a pan-India superstar

Before Yash became the face of one of Indian cinema’s biggest franchises, his family lived a very different life. His father worked as a bus driver and reportedly earned just Rs 14 a day, while Yash himself once arrived in Bengaluru with only Rs 300 and had to sleep on the streets during his struggle to become an actor. Years later, when money and fame were no longer concerns, his father still chose to drive a bus. For him, the job was about much more than earning a salary.

Yash wanted his father to enjoy his success

Yash recently opened up about his father’s decision during an appearance on the talk show Aap Ki Adalat. The actor is currently gearing up for the release of his much-awaited film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, but his conversation also offered a glimpse into his life before he became a pan-India star.

Yash said his father continued working as a bus driver even after his son had achieved considerable success. The actor wanted him to enjoy the financial comfort that came with his career, but his father had no interest in giving up the job.


Yash recalled, "I started sending him in a car as well. I told him, ‘Don't quit your work, but travel in a good car. If you want to drive, it's your hard work, I respect that.’ But he found it boring. He would say, ‘Look, all this is superficial respect. Whoever comes up and respects me as 'Yash's father'—that's nice, it's good. But the respect my colleagues and my peers give me for my own work, that is truly mine’,”

Yash explained that his father felt the respect he received as a bus driver was different from the attention he got simply because he was the father of a successful actor. He believed the admiration from his own colleagues and peers had been earned through his work.

The actor recalled that his father would arrive at the depot in the imported car and then simply get out and start driving the bus. The unusual sight made his father uncomfortable, and he eventually asked Yash not to send him to work that way.

‘Work is not only about money’

Yash said he never saw his father's profession as something inferior. His intention was simply to tell him that after years of financial struggles, he could now take it easy.

However, his father had a different idea of what work meant.

According to Yash, his father told him that people do not work only for money. He took pride in his profession, valued the respect he had earned among his colleagues and genuinely enjoyed what he did. For him, continuing to drive a bus was a personal choice rather than a financial necessity.

That attitude also explains why he refused to give up the job even after Yash became one of the biggest stars in Kannada cinema.

The story is particularly striking because Yash's own journey began with very little financial security. He grew up in a modest household in Karnataka's Hassan district. His father worked as a bus driver, while his mother was a homemaker.

Money was limited, but Yash had ambitions of becoming an actor. As a teenager, he left home and travelled to Bengaluru with only Rs 300 in his pocket, determined to find a place in the entertainment industry.

From sleeping on Bengaluru streets to becoming Rocky Bhai

Yash has previously spoken about the difficult period that followed his arrival in Bengaluru. Without the financial resources or connections that could make the journey easier, he struggled to find his footing in the city. At one point, he even had to sleep on the streets, according to The Indian Express.

It was during one such difficult night that Yash remembered fearing that the police might drive him away. Instead of giving up, he made himself a promise that he would one day become a superstar.

His first major break came on television with the Kannada serial Silli Lalli. He eventually made his film debut with Jambada Hudugi in 2007 and slowly established himself in the Kannada film industry.

His career changed dramatically with the KGF franchise. Playing Rocky Bhai, Yash became a national star and helped take Kannada cinema to audiences across India and overseas.

Now, years after those difficult beginnings, Yash is among the most anticipated actors in Indian cinema. His upcoming Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is one of the year's major releases, while he is also set to appear as Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana, which he is co-producing.