In 2018, a pan-India superstar was born as Yash’s KGF: Chapter 1 hit the theatres all over India. Yash, who was unknown beyond the borders of Karnataka, became popular all over India as ‘Rocky Bhai,’ the character he played in KGF. He followed it up with the sequel KGF: Chapter 2 in 2022 and he was instantly propelled to one of the most well-known pan-India stars. KGF: Chapter 2 also broke several records for a Kannada film.
The country is now a fan of Yash aka Rocky Bhai’s style and swag but you might not be aware of his struggle in the Kannada film industry.
Yash was born Naveen Kumar Gowda in a lower-middle-class family. His father was employed as a driver for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and later the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. Yash took part in theatre and dance events at his Mysore school because he always wanted to be an actor. When he was young, he frequently volunteered at the family’s supply store. Yash intended to drop out of school after finishing Class 10 but his parents insisted that he finish senior school before he could pursue acting full-time.
Yash came to Bangalore at the age of 16 and started working as an assistant director but the project he was working on got shelved. He then joined a theatre group and also took acting lessons. Initially, he used to work backstage and for this, he used to get a remuneration of Rs 50.
He finished his Bachelor of Arts at Bangalore’s K.L.E. College while continuing to work in theatre. The same year, he made his television debut with the Uttarayana. He was given the chance to work with Radhika Pandit in the 2005 television series Nanda Gokula, whom he would eventually marry.
After getting roles in the television industry, Yash made his debut in 2007 as a supporting artist in the film Jambada Hudugi. In 2008, he got a lot of recognition from the film Rocky and made a firm place for himself in the Kannada film industry.