‘Toxic’ star Yash, a bus driver’s son, arrived in Bengaluru with Rs 300 at 16 and earned Rs 50 per day. Know the jaw-dropping amount he charged for Bollywood debut Ramayana

Yash has struck gold again. The Kannada superstar, whose last on-screen outing, the smash hit KGF series, earned a staggering Rs 1,800 crore worldwide, has proved his hold on the masses yet again. His recent outing, 'Toxic', has earned Rs 140 crore worldwide, according to the box-office tracking portal Sacnilk.com. Yash’s journey from being a humble bus driver’s son to becoming one of the biggest pan-India stars, it feels no less awe-inspiring than a blockbuster.

Humble Beginnings

As per a Forbes report, Yash’s father worked as a bus driver for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and later for the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. His mother, Pushpa, is a homemaker.

His parents did not consider his ambition to become an actor seriously until he told them that he wanted to discontinue his education after completing Class 10 and dedicate himself to acting. However, they rejected his request and refused to support the decision. Yash continued his studies for another two years before finally deciding to take control of his future. He disagreed with his parents and chose to leave for Bengaluru. They allowed him to leave but warned him that if he returned home, they would not support his decision to pursue a career in acting.

Struggles In Bengaluru

As per Forbes, at just 16, he arrived in Bengaluru with just Rs 300 in his pocket to work as an assistant director on a film in 2003. Sadly, the shooting of the movie was cancelled in just two days.

According to an ET Now report, he joined B. V. Karanth’s Benaka theatre troupe as backstage staff, refusing to be deterred.

He worked at the theatre in various capacities, including serving tea and taking on miscellaneous tasks, earning approximately Rs 50 each day. Although the pay was modest, the theatre exposed him to something far more meaningful: actors, live performances, and the art of acting that he was determined to learn. Over time, he received opportunities to appear in stage productions, eventually paving the way for his transition to television.

His television career took off in 2004 with Uttarayana, after which he appeared in Nanda Gokula. The latter project proved significant in his personal life as well, as it was during the show that he met fellow actor Radhika Pandit, who would later become his wife. He became a rising star on TV and started earning Rs 50,000- Rs 60,000, and his parent joined him in Bengaluru.

Success Beckons

Yash made his cinematic debut through a supporting role in the 2007 film Jambada Hudugi. However, his breakthrough came with the coming-of-age romantic drama Moggina Manasu, in which he starred along with Radhika. The movie enjoyed a 100-day run in Bengaluru, emerging as a major commercial success.

He further cemented his worth as a leading man with hits such as Modalasala, Raja Huli, Gajakesari, etc. However, it was Prashanth Neel’s period action drama duology, KGF (which featured Yash as Rocky Bhai, a mercenary), that established him as a pan-Indian superstar.

The first film, Chapter 1, premiered on December 21, 2018, and went on to become the highest-earning Kannada movie at that point. Its follow-up, Chapter 2, arrived in theatres on April 14, 2022. The sequel shattered multiple opening-day records and eventually surpassed the first installment to become the biggest-grossing Kannada film ever. It also made history as the first Kannada movie to cross the ₹500-crore and ₹1,000-crore marks at the worldwide box office. The film further established itself as the fifth-highest-grossing Indian movie globally and ranked as the second-biggest Indian film of 2022.

Yash has come a long way from the boy who used to earn Rs 50 per day. As per an NDTV report, he is the highest-paid star in his upcoming film, the Ranbir Kapoor-starrer Ramayana, in which he is essaying the role of Raavana. He has charged Rs 100 crore for Ramayana for both films. The movie’s budget is reportedly more than Rs 4,000 crore.

According to a Financial Express report, Yash’s networth is a whopping Rs 50 crore.