The craze for superstar Yash grew significantly after the release of the Kannada films KGF-1 and KGF-2. KGF 2 was released on April 14th in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. People have become obsessed with KGF and Yash after seeing the film. Yash has also earned the moniker Rocky Bhai, after the name of his character in the film.
Yash’s style, personality, and acting abilities are all outstanding. Yash was previously restricted to Kannada cinema. Yash gave 11 hit films during his 14-year film career. Yash lives a very luxurious life nowadays, but few people are aware that Yash’s father, who became a national hero, worked as a bus driver for the Transport Corporation. Learn everything there is to know about superstar Yash’s career, success, income, wealth, and luxury lifestyle.
Yash was born on January 8, 1986, in the village of Boovanahalli, Karnataka. His real name is Naveen Kumar Gowda. His father, Arun Kumar, was a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus driver. His mother, Pushpa, is a homemaker. He has a younger sister, Nandini.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Naveen Kumar Gowda |
| Screen Name | Yash |
| Date of Birth | January 8, 1986 |
| Place of Birth | Boovanahalli, Hassan, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 39 years (as of March 19, 2025) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Indian (Kannada) |
| Family | Father: Arun Kumar Gowda (bus driver, KSRTC); Mother: Pushpa Gowda (homemaker); Sister: Nandini Gowda |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Wife | Radhika Pandit (married December 9, 2016; Kannada actress) |
| Children | 2: Daughter Ayra Yash (born December 2, 2018); Son Yatharv Yash (born October 30, 2019) |
| Education | Fluent in Kannada, English, conversational Hindi (learned for KGF promotions) |
| Height | 5’11” (1.80 m, per Filmibeat) |
| Weight | Approximately 75-80 kg (estimated from recent visuals; no official data) |
| Profession | Actor, Producer, Playback Singer |
| Debut (TV) | Uttarayana (2004, Udaya TV; minor role) |
| Debut (Film) | Jambada Hudugi (2007, directed by Priya Hassan; supporting role) |
| Breakthrough Role | Moggina Manasu (2008, directed by Shashank; Filmfare Best Supporting Actor) |
| Total Films (Acting) | 22 (Kannada cinema, as of 2024; excludes TV and cameos) |
| Notable Films | Moggina Manasu (2008), Googly (2013), Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari (2014), KGF: Chapter 1 (2018), KGF: Chapter 2 (2022) |
| Upcoming Films | Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups (2025), Ramayana: Part 1 (2026), Ramayana: Part 2 (2027), KGF: Chapter 3 (2028, tentative) |
| Production Debut | KGF: Chapter 1 (2018, co-producer under Yasho Marga Foundation) |
| Playback Singing | “Annthamma” (Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari, 2014), “Annange Love Aagide” (Masterpiece, 2015), “Toxic signature track” (Toxic, 2025) |
| Awards | Filmfare Best Supporting Actor (Moggina Manasu, 2008), Filmfare Best Actor (Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari, 2014; KGF: Chapter 1, 2018), SIIMA Best Actor (Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari, 2015; KGF: Chapter 2, 2023) |
| Early Career | Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups (filming began in 2024; released April 10, 2025; directed by Geetu Mohandas) |
| Languages | Hassan village land dispute (2023; locals trespassed, verbally clashed with parents); chit fund scam rumours (unsubstantiated, 2022) |
| Recent Project | Theatre with Benaka Drama Troupe (2004; backstage worker, earned ₹50/day); TV serials like Nanda Gokula (2005) |
| Net Worth (Estimated) | ₹100-150 crore (as of 2025; based on film fees, endorsements, and production ventures) |
| Annual Income (Estimated) | ₹20-30 crore (film fees: ₹25 crore+ per project post-KGF: Chapter 2; endorsements) |
| Social Media | Instagram: @thenameisyash (13.5M+ followers); Twitter/X: @TheNameIsYash (4.5M+ followers) |
| Residence | Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (owns a duplex in Prestige Golf Apartments, purchased 2021) |
| Property | Duplex in Bengaluru (₹3-6 crore, per NoBroker); farmland in Hassan (disputed with villagers) |
| Hobbies | Dancing, singing, fitness, spending time with family, social work |
| Philanthropy | Yasho Marga Foundation (founded 2017 with Radhika Pandit): ₹40M for water crises (2019), ₹1.5 crore to 3000 film workers (2021) |
| Latest Update (Last 6 Months) | January 8, 2025: Toxic teaser released on 39th birthday; March 2025: Filming Toxic in Mumbai and Bengaluru; confirmed Ravana role in Ramayana |
| Controversies | Hassan village land dispute (2023; locals trespassed, verbally clashed with parents); chit fund scam rumors (unsubstantiated, 2022) |
| Fan Nickname | Rocking Star Yash, Rocky Bhai (post-KGF) |
| Legacy | Elevated Kannada cinema to pan-India status with KGF franchise; highest-paid Kannada actor as of 2025 |
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Yash finished his studies by taking a pre-university course from the Mahajan Education Society. After that, he joined the Benaka Natak Mandali, a drama troupe founded by renowned playwright B.V. Karanth. Yash’s acting career began here.
Filmography
He debuted in the industry in 2004 with a role in the Kannada TV series ‘Nanda Gokul.’ After that, I worked in several serials. Yash’s first Kannada film, ‘Jambada Hudgi,’ was released later that year. In this film, he played a secondary lead. On the other hand, Yash played the lead role in the Kannada film ‘Mogina Manasu’ in 2008. Following that, he appeared in a slew of blockbuster films.
| Year | Movie Title | Director | Producer | Budget (INR, Approx.) | Box Office Collection (INR, Approx.) | Opposite Actor/Actress | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Jambada Hudugi | Priya Hassan | Priya Hassan | 2 crore (est.) | 5 crore (flop) | – | Debut film; minor role |
| 2008 | Rocky | S.K. Nagendra Urs | Vijayalakshmi Urs | 3 crore (est.) | 10 crore (moderate) | Bianca Desai | First lead role; action drama |
| 2008 | Moggina Manasu | Shashank | E. Krishnappa | 5 crore (est.) | 15 crore (hit) | Radhika Pandit | Filmfare Best Supporting Actor |
| 2009 | Gokula | Prakash | Narendra Babu | 4 crore (est.) | 12 crore (moderate) | Pooja Gandhi | Comedy drama |
| 2010 | Modalasala | Purushottham C | Yogesh Narayan | 5 crore (est.) | 20 crore (hit) | Bhama | Romantic drama |
| 2011 | Rajadhani | Sowmya Sathyan | Sowmya Sathyan | 6 crore (est.) | 15 crore (moderate) | Sheena Shahabadi | Action thriller |
| 2011 | Kirataka | Pradeep Raj | L. Mahadevaiah | 5 crore (est.) | 25 crore (superhit) | Oviya Helen | Remake of Tamilselvanum Thaniyar Anjalum |
| 2012 | Lucky | Suri | Radhika Kumaraswamy | 6 crore (est.) | 18 crore (moderate) | Ramya | Comedy |
| 2012 | Drama | Yogaraj Bhat | Jayanna Combines | 8 crore (est.) | 35 crore (superhit) | Radhika Pandit | Comedy drama |
| 2013 | Chandra | Roopesh | H.K. Prakash | 5 crore (est.) | 10 crore (flop) | Shriya Saran | Bilingual (Kannada-Tamil) |
| 2013 | Googly | Pavan Wadeyar | Jayanna Combines | 10 crore (est.) | 50 crore (blockbuster) | Kriti Kharbanda | Romantic comedy; major hit |
| 2014 | Gajakesari | Krishna | Jayanna Combines | 15 crore (est.) | 60 crore (superhit) | Amulya | Action drama |
| 2014 | Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari | Santhosh Ananddram | Jayanna Combines | 12 crore (est.) | 75 crore (blockbuster) | Radhika Pandit | Filmfare Best Actor |
| 2015 | Masterpiece | Manju Mandavya | Vijay Kiragandur | 15 crore (est.) | 40 crore (hit) | Shanvi Srivastava | Action drama |
| 2016 | Santhu Straight Forward | Mahesh Rao | K. Manju | 10 crore (est.) | 30 crore (moderate) | Radhika Pandit | Action romance |
| 2018 | KGF: Chapter 1 | Prashanth Neel | Vijay Kiragandur (Hombale) | 80 crore (est.) | 250 crore (blockbuster) | Srinidhi Shetty | Pan-India debut; Filmfare Best Actor |
| 2022 | KGF: Chapter 2 | Prashanth Neel | Vijay Kiragandur (Hombale) | 100 crore (est.) | 1,250 crore (all-time blockbuster) | Srinidhi Shetty | Highest-grossing Kannada film; SIIMA Best Actor |
| Upcoming Projects | |||||||
| 2025 | Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups | Geetu Mohandas | KVN Productions, Monster Mind | 150-200 crore (est.) | TBD | Nayanthara, Kiara Advani | Action thriller; filming underway; release April 10, 2025 |
| 2026 | Ramayana: Part 1 | Nitesh Tiwari | Namit Malhotra (Prime Focus) | 300 crore (est./part) | TBD | Sai Pallavi | Plays Ravana; pan-India epic |
| 2027 | Ramayana: Part 2 | Nitesh Tiwari | Namit Malhotra (Prime Focus) | 300 crore (est./part) | TBD | Sai Pallavi | Continuation of Ramayana trilogy |
| 2028 | KGF: Chapter 3 | Prashanth Neel | Vijay Kiragandur (Hombale) | 200 crore (est.) | TBD | Srinidhi Shetty (likely) | Tentative; Yash confirmed interest |
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The love story of Yash
In 2016, actor Yash married actress Radhika Pandit, two years older than him. They met while watching the Kannada TV show Nanda Gokul. Yash and Radhika developed a friendship that blossomed into love over time. Later, they secretly got engaged and married in Bangalore. Yash and Radhika have two children.
Radhika Pandit is an Indian former television and cinema actress who has become a leading actor in Kannada movies.
After completing a Master of Business Administration program, Radhika Pandit desired to become a teacher. However, during her last year of B.Com., a friend persuaded her to audition for a role in Nandagokula, a Kannada-language television series directed by Ashok Kashyap. Pandit was cast in the part without having to audition.
Yash’s opulent residence
Yash moved to a luxurious house in Bangalore in 2021. His bungalow costs around four crore rupees. Windsor Manor is his apartment in Bangalore’s Pash Colony Prestige Golf Apartments. Its one-of-a-kind design elevates the overall appearance of the home.
Yash’s car collection
Yash’s car collection includes many vehicles that match his luxury lifestyle. He owns expensive vehicles such as an Audi Q7 worth a crore, a Range Rover worth around 80 lakhs, a BMW worth 70 lakhs, a Pajero Sports worth 40 lakhs, a Mercedes-Benz GLS (Rs 85 lakhs), and a Mercedes-Benz GLC (Rs 78 lakhs).
Fees for movies
Kannada cinema gave birth to superstar Yash. He gained recognition throughout India after joining KGF. For KGF, Yash demanded a fee of Rs 6 crore. On the other hand, Yash has charged Rs 30 crore for KGF Chapter 2. After KGF, Yash’s per-film fee increased. He now charges between 20 and 25 crores for a film.
Yash’s net worth is
Yash, the star of KGF, has assets worth around 50 crores. In the last few years, his earnings and net worth have skyrocketed. Aside from films, he also makes money from advertisements. He is one of the highest-paid actors in the South for brand endorsements.