Yash, born Naveen Kumar Gowda on 8 January 1986 in Bhuvanahalli, Hassan district, Karnataka, is one of Indian cinema's biggest stars. Popularly known as the "Rocking Star", the Kannada actor became a pan-India phenomenon as Rocky in K.G.F — and at 40 (as of October 2026) he is headlining two of the year's biggest films.
Yash is in the news in 2026 for Toxic, Geetu Mohandas's action thriller in which he plays a dual role and shares a co-writer credit, and for Ramayana: Part 1, Nitesh Tiwari's epic in which he plays Ravana opposite Ranbir Kapoor's Rama while also co-producing the film.
Early Life
Yash was born Naveen Kumar Gowda on 8 January 1986 in Bhuvanahalli, a village in Karnataka's Hassan district. His father, Arun Kumar, worked as a KSRTC bus driver, and his mother, Pushpa, is a homemaker. "Yash" is a shortened form of "Yashwanth" — a name from his mother's side of the family — and it became his stage name. His fans fondly call him the "Rocking Star".
Career
Yash began his acting career on television, debuting with the serial Uttarayana in 2004 and following it up with Nanda Gokula, which co-starred his future wife, Radhika Pandit. He made his film debut with a supporting role in Jambada Hudugi (2007). His breakthrough came with Moggina Manasu (2008), which won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor (Kannada).
He then built a successful leading-man run through the 2010s with Googly (2013), Raja Huli (2013), Gajakesari (2014), Mr. and Mrs. Ramachari (2014) — which earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Kannada) — Masterpiece (2015) and Santhu Straight Forward (2016).
K.G.F and Pan-India Stardom
Everything changed with K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018). Directed by Prashanth Neel, the film cast Yash as Rocky, a street-raised orphan who rises through the ranks of the Kolar Gold Fields. It became the then highest-grossing Kannada film, crossing Rs. 250 crore, and won Yash the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Kannada). K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022) took the saga nationwide and ranks among the highest-grossing Indian films of all time, making Yash a pan-India star. Across his career, he has won three Filmfare Awards South and five SIIMA Awards.
2026: Toxic and Ramayana
In 2026, Yash led Toxic (2026) movie — Yash's action thriller, directed by Geetu Mohandas and released on 26 August 2026. He plays a dual/double role and also shares a co-writer credit on the film, a Monster Mind Creations x KVN Productions venture co-starring Kiara Advani (see the Kiara Advani biography), Nayanthara (see the Nayanthara biography), Huma Qureshi and Tara Sutaria.
The same year, he steps into mythic territory as Ravana in Ramayana: Part 1, directed by Nitesh Tiwari. Yash is also co-producing the epic through his Monster Mind Creations in association with Prime Focus Studios, sharing the screen with Ranbir Kapoor as Rama and Sai Pallavi as Sita. See Ramayana Trailer 2 — Ranbir Kapoor's Rama vs Yash's Ravana.
On 26 October, his banner Monster Mind Creations formally entered distribution by acquiring the Karnataka theatrical rights for Nitesh Tiwari's "Ramayana", adding to his roles as Ravana and co-producer. On 28 October he spoke at the film's grand LA premiere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. "Ramayana: Rise of a Legend" (Part 1) opens worldwide 5 November 2026, with North American previews 4 November.
Personal Life
Yash married actress Radhika Pandit on 9 December 2016, after getting engaged in Goa in August 2016. The couple have two children — a daughter and a son (their names have not been publicly verified). Alongside acting, Yash and his wife run the Yasho Marga Foundation, through which they support philanthropic causes in Karnataka.
Watch the Official Video
Watch the official Hindi trailer of Toxic (2026), starring Yash and uploaded by KVN PRODUCTIONS:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Yash's real name?
Yash was born Naveen Kumar Gowda. "Yash" — shortened from "Yashwanth", a name from his mother's side — is his stage name.
How old is Yash?
Born on 8 January 1986, Yash is 40 years old as of October 2026.
Which film made Yash a star?
His breakthrough was Moggina Manasu (2008), but he became a pan-India star as Rocky in K.G.F: Chapter 1 (2018) and K.G.F: Chapter 2 (2022).
What are Yash's 2026 films?
In 2026, Yash starred in Geetu Mohandas's Toxic (released 26 August 2026) in a dual role, and plays Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1.
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