Actor Yash’s mother, Pushpa Arun Kumar, has strongly defended her son’s journey to stardom after veteran producer Allu Aravind’s old remark questioning the actor’s popularity before KGF resurfaced online. Her comments come amid the ongoing discussion around Yash’s latest release, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
The controversy dates back to 2023, when Allu Aravind, while discussing the success of KGF, had questioned, “Who was Yash before KGF?” The comment drew criticism from Yash’s fans and has now returned to the spotlight.
Speaking at a recent media interaction, Pushpa defended her son and said he had already established himself as a successful actor in Kannada cinema before KGF: Chapter 1 turned him into a pan-India star.
She pointed out that Yash had delivered five consecutive successful films before KGF and had built a strong audience in Karnataka through years of work. She also highlighted his humble background, saying he was the son of a bus driver who rose to the top through his own efforts.
“There’s no need to ask who he was before KGF; he had delivered good films before it,” Pushpa said, adding that she was proud of her son’s achievements.
Yash began his film career in 2007 and went on to star in several successful Kannada films, including Googly, Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari, Masterpiece and Santhu Straight Forward. His breakthrough came with Prashanth Neel’s KGF: Chapter 1 in 2018, which significantly expanded his popularity beyond Karnataka.
Yash had previously addressed the controversy himself during an appearance on Aap Ki Adalat. He said that filmmaking is a collective effort involving producers, actors, writers and technicians, while acknowledging the responsibility of the lead actor in carrying a film.
Meanwhile, Yash’s latest film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, directed by Geetu Mohandas, released on August 26. The film stars Yash alongside Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Its release has generated significant discussion over its box-office performance and critical response.
