Yash's mother Pushpa Arunkumar addressed veteran producer Allu Aravind’s resurfaced remark questioning the actor's standing before KGF.
She stated that Yash delivered five consecutive hit films in Kannada cinema before KGF expanded his fame across India.
Pushpa highlighted that Yash is a bus driver’s son who achieved success entirely through his own hard work rather than inherited wealth.
Pushpa Arunkumar has firmly defended her son Yash. Speaking at a media interaction, she dismissed suggestions that her son achieved fame only through the KGF franchise. Her reaction followed the digital resurgence of veteran producer Allu Aravind’s past remark questioning Yash's stardom pre-KGF which reappeared amid Yash's latest film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups.
Pushpa said that Yash's prominence was no sudden creation. He had established a solid track record in Kannada cinema long before national audiences discovered him through the franchise.
About Allu Aravind's old remark against Yash
The dispute began in 2023. Producer Allu Aravind discussed the box office triumph of KGF and challenged the actor’s prior stature. “Who was Yash before KGF?” Aravind asked.
The remark drew criticism from Yash’s fans. It has now returned to public debate as online chatter around Toxic gathers pace.
Pushpa’s public defence
Pushpa did not name Aravind in her response. But she directly challenged the idea that Yash was unknown before KGF.
“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. As a mother, I am proud of him,” Pushpa said.
She added, “Yash has built his position by working hard for years and giving successful films in the Kannada cinema.”
Yash’s earlier response
Yash had addressed the remark earlier on Rajat Sharma’s Aap Ki Adalat.
“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. But if an actor cannot carry what has been created for him, the film may not work,” he said.
