Yash ’s mother Pushpa Arunkumar has come out in strong support of her son, making it clear that his journey to stardom did not start with the KGF franchise. Her comments come after veteran producer Allu Aravind’s old ‘Who was Yash before KGF?’ remark resurfaced online amid the buzz around Yash’s latest film, Toxic : A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Speaking at a recent press meet, Pushpa pointed out that Yash had already made a name for himself in Kannada cinema well before KGF took him to a pan-India audience.
Directed by Geetu Mohandas , Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups stars Yash, Nayanthara and Kiara Advani in the lead, alongside Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Released on August 26 in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English, the film is now eyeing the ₹ 300 crore worldwide milestone.
Despite mixed reviews, the film has managed to draw audiences and crossed the ₹ 200 crore mark in India within five days of its release. He acknowledged the hard work of the entire team behind a film, while also explaining the responsibility that comes with being its leading actor. Yash also gave credit to the audience, saying that viewers are smart enough to recognise good work and decide what truly works for them. “I believe a film does not belong only to the producer. Many people work on a film, but the actor often gets most of the credit. Whether it is a supporting actor, writer or any other member of the team, everyone works hard. The film has also been in the news for its intense violence and sexual content, which has divided opinions among viewers.
But if an actor cannot carry what has been created for him, the film may not work,” Yash had said.
Yash had addressed the comment earlier on Rajat Sharma’s Aap Ki Adalat, where he made it clear that a film’s success can never be credited to just one person.
She pointed to his string of successful films and years of hard work, stressing that his rise to pan-India fame did not happen overnight. “Before KGF, Yash delivered five back-to-back hits. So, if he is an ordinary person, a nobody as you claim, then why are you (the person concerned) threatened? He’s not a terrorist. There is no need to ask who he was before KGF; he had delivered good films before it. Moreover, he was not born into wealth, unlike a few others. He is the son of a bus driver who rose to the top on his own.
The controversy dates back to 2023, when Allu Aravind spoke about KGF’s success and questioned Yash’s standing before the franchise.
His “Who was Yash before KGF?” remark drew criticism from the actor’s fans and has now found its way back into the spotlight. Addressing the issue without naming Aravind, Pushpa said that Yash was already a known and successful name in Kannada cinema well before KGF. As a mother, I am proud of him,” she said.
