Acting
Jan 7, 1986
Hassan, Karnataka, india
Yash
Acting
Biography
**Naveen Kumar Gowda** (born 8 January 1986), known mononymously by his screen name **Yash**, is an Indian actor who primarily works in Kannada films. Widely referred to in the media as the "Rocking Star," he is one of the highest-paid and most bankable actors in the Kannada film industry. Born in Bhuvanahalli, a village in the Hassan district of Karnataka, to a father who worked as a KSRTC and BMTC bus driver, Yash spent his childhood in Mysore. He completed his pre-university education at Mahajana Education Society before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at K.L.E. College in Bangalore. Having an intense passion for acting, he joined the renowned Benaka drama troupe, which was formed by dramatist B. V. Karanth. Starting out as a backstage worker, he eventually progressed to stage acting, notably portraying Balarama in a 2004 play. Prior to entering cinema, he established himself on television with appearances in serials like *Uttarayana* and *Nanda Gokula*. Yash made his feature film debut in 2007 with a supporting role in *Jambada Hudugi*. His major breakthrough came the following year with the romantic drama *Moggina Manasu* (2008), for which he received the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He successfully transitioned into a lead hero with his first solo commercial hit, *Modalasala*, in 2010. Throughout the 2010s, he cemented his status as a leading superstar by delivering a string of massive box-office successes, including *Kirataka* (2011), *Drama* (2012), *Googly* (2013), *Raja Huli* (2013), and *Gajakesari* (2014). In 2014, he starred in the romantic drama *Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari*, which became one of the highest-grossing films in Kannada cinema history and earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Yash attained unprecedented nationwide recognition and pan-Indian stardom with Prashanth Neel's blockbuster action film *K.G.F: Chapter 1* (2018), where he portrayed the iconic character Rocky. The film's massive success won him his second Filmfare Award for Best Actor, and he reprised the role in the even bigger sequel *K.G.F: Chapter 2* (2022), which ranks among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time. In addition to his cinematic achievements, he is recognized for his philanthropic work through the Yasho Marga Foundation, a charitable organization he established with his wife, actress Radhika Pandit.
Feature Films (24)
An ancient epic follows a young prince and princess whose marriage and subsequent exile mark the beginning of a legendary journey. Their story of love, duty and destiny sets the stage for greater challenges ahead.
Ramayana: Rise of a Legend
Kirataka is a 2011 Indian Kannada romantic comedy film directed by Pradeep Raj, starring Yash and Oviya in the lead roles. It is the remake of Tamil film, Kalavani (2010). The film was a success at the domestic box-office. This was the 3000th Kannada movie to be released. The film is centered around the rivalry between two neighboring villages with rival gangs in both competing in every aspect. Nandisha (Yash), also known as Gooli is a road side romeo with no real direction to his life. He is flanked by his friends who support him in every act. Meanwhile, he falls in love with Nethra (Oviya), a girl studying at a college in the neighboring town. The rest of the movie revolves around how Gooly manages to win over Nethra despite the rivalry.
Kiraathaka
Five aimless youths are offered money to assassinate a local gangster. This is the beginning of their downward spiral into a life of crime.
Raajadhaani
A young man named Karthik falls in love with Deepa and decides to propose to her. However, Deepa makes him wait for the approval of her parents, who do not support the union.
Modalasala
A powerful drug cartel pulls the strings behind a facade of sun-soaked beaches as a gritty, violent underworld power struggle emerges during the crumbling of Portuguese colonial rule.
Toxic
Television & Series (2)
Prominent celebrities in various fields, primarily from Karnataka, are invited to tell the story of their lives. Over steaming cups of coffee, Ramesh Aravind takes the audience on an inside journey with the celebrities through all walks of their lives.
Weekend With Ramesh
Angry Young Men is the story of Salim-Javed, legendary screenwriters of 1970s Hindi cinema. Together, they created the archetype of the Angry Young Man - a brooding anti-hero who captured the imagination of an entire nation with his rage, defiance, and quest for social justice. Like the character they created, Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, two outsiders to the Hindi film industry, defied all odds, questioning the position of writers and demanding recognition as much as the reigning stars of that time. Their break-up made headlines for many years and Indian cinema never saw a cultural collaboration as powerful again. This is a personal and candid account of their lives, their writing and their legacy.
