'Came to Bengaluru with Rs 300 in pocket': Know 'Toxic' star Naveen Kumar Gowda aka Yash's journey towards stardom

Kannada star Yash is today known across India for his powerful roles in the cinema industry. However, little did one know that he began his career as a TV show actor and later turned out to be a pan-India star, making him one of the biggest actors currently. As he is gearing up for his next release, 'Toxic,' announced to arrive in theaters in June, let’s take a look at his early life.

Yash was born as Naveen Kumar Gowda on January 8, 1986. His father, Arun Kumar, worked as a bus driver with Karnataka Roadways and Bangalore Metro Roadways. Yash grew up in a simple family.

Starting with theater and television

His love for acting started when he was very young. He began working in theater and slowly moved to television. He appeared in shows like ‘Male Billu’ and ‘Preeti Illada Mele.' These shows helped him gain experience and earn some money before entering films.

Came to Bengaluru with just Rs 300

Before all the fame, Yash came to Bengaluru with only Rs 300 in his pocket, he revealed to The News Minute. He was young and scared in the big city, but he was ready to struggle to become an actor. In the interview, Yash shared about the difficult time when he first came to Bengaluru. He said he had run away from home to follow his acting dream.

He shared, “I ran off from my home. When I came to Bengaluru, I was scared to be in such a big and intimidating city. But I was confident and wasn't scared of struggle. I had just 300 rupees in my pocket when I reached Bengaluru.” He also said his parents had given him a clear warning. “I knew if I went back, my parents would never allow me to return here. My parents gave me an ultimatum. I was free to try my luck as an actor, but after that, if it didn't work out, I had to do what they asked me to.”

‘KGF’ fame

Yash’s life changed after ‘KGF: Chapter 1’ and ‘KGF: Chapter 2,' directed by Prashanth Neel. The first film earned around Rs 238 crore worldwide, while the second film crossed Rs 1200 crore globally.

Upcoming films

Now, Yash has two big films coming up. One is ‘Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups,' directed by Geetu Mohandas. The other is 'Ramayana,' directed by Nitesh Tiwari, where he stars with Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi. Additionally, he has also shared that ‘KGF 3’ is on the cards.

He will be next seen in 'Toxic,' which was earlier set to hit the big screen on March 19 but got postponed to release on June 4, 2026.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”