Yash

Yash was born on 8 January 1986 in Boovanahalli, a village in Hassan, Karnataka. He was given two names: Naveen legally, and his mother's side of the family named him Yashwanth. Yashwanth was chosen as they believed his time of birth astrologically necessitated a name beginning with the letter ಯ (ya). In keeping with a Hindu tradition of giving children a deity's epithet, Yash was described as Nanjundeshwara ("poison-drinker god", referring to Shiva). Before starting his acting career, he was advised by others in the industry to adopt a stage name. Desiring to stand out with a name that was unique for an actor in Karnataka, he shortened Yashwanth to Yash. Yash's father, Arun Kumar Gowda, was a driver for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and later the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. His mother, Pushpa, is a homemaker. He has a younger sister, Nandini, who is married to a computer engineer. Yash aspired to be an actor from a young age and actively participated in theatre and dance competitions at his school in Mysore. When he was young, his family also ran a provision store, where he would help out regularly. Yash wanted to quit school and pursue full-time acting after completing grade 10 but had to complete senior school on the demand of his parents. He studied at the Mahajana Education Society for all his school years. His parents initially disapproved of his acting ambitions, and his father wanted him to be a government officer. In 2003, they relented and allowed him to move to Bangalore at the age of 16 to work on a film as an assistant director, but stated that he would not be allowed to go back if he returned. The project was cancelled after only two days of filming, but Yash stayed in Bangalore. He stated he had ₹300 (equivalent to ₹1,100 or US$13 in 2023) with him at the time. He joined a theatre group, the Benaka drama troupe, which was formed by dramatist B. V. Karanth. He worked as a backstage worker and was paid ₹50 (60¢ US) per day. Yash eventually became a backup actor, and in 2004, portrayed Balarama, the lead role in a play. While still working in theatre, he completed his Bachelor of Arts at Bangalore's K.L.E. College. He made his television debut the same year with the teleserial Uttarayana. In 2005, he was offered a role in the teleserial Nanda Gokula, where he starred alongside Radhika Pandit. He went on to appear in several other teleserials such as T. N. Seetharam's Male Billu and Preeti Illada Mele. Once Yash had secured a stable income, his parents moved in with him to Bangalore. During this time, he was offered roles in seven films, but his insistence on having the script for each film made available to him was viewed as "arrogance from a newcomer" and often refused.