I am where I am today because of those who believed in me: Yash

It was an evening seeped in nostalgia on Sunday as Kannada star Yash arrived to release the trailer of the upcoming film, Manada Kadalu starring newbies Sumukha, Anjali Anish and Rashika Shetty, directed by Yogaraj Bhat. Greeting the audience in his style with ‘Annthammas’, Yash recalled his initial days of struggle, and thanked producer E Krishnappa for backing him when he was a rookie in the film industry. “One of the reasons why I am where I am today is because of the support of the people around me. I would like to recall an incident from the past here. As a newbie trying to break into the film industry, when I had asked for the script of the film, directors thought I was being too arrogant for a newcomer. My point was, ‘How can I be a part of something if I don’t believe in it?’ I have lost many films because of this,” he said.

I HAD ALMOST LET GO MOGGINA MANASU’
Yash and his wife, actor Radhika Pandit made their film debut with Moggina Manasu in 2008, a coming-of-age college drama. Directed by Shashank, the movie was produced by E Krishnappa, producer of the erstwhile hit Mungaru Male and the soon-to-be released Kannada film Manada Kadalu. “I knew that a movie called Moggina Manasu was being made as my ‘friend’ Radhika Pandit (his wife now) was playing the lead in it. She had told me there was only one schedule pending. When I got a call from Shashank’s office for the lead role, I ignored it thinking it must be a prank as the entire film was almost complete. When I got multiple calls, I dialed Radhika, who told me that the person who was supposed to play the lead character had met with an accident and the spot was open. So, I went to Shashank’s office. Shashank not only narrated the script, but also showed me the songs, and music. I have immense respect for him because of the way he treated me that day. Same with E Krishnappa sir, who, despite seeing massive success with Mungaru Male, was kind to me when I was a newbie. Because he gave a chance to a newbie, a lot could happen in my life. I will forever be grateful to him,” Yash said.
‘THE KANNADA FILM INDUSTRY IS NOT INFERIOR TO ANYONE’
Addressing the concerns about lack of footfalls in theatres over the last few years, Yash said, “Earlier, even I would blame the audience for not coming to theatres. But, I have realised the fact that Kannada film audiences have always supported quality movies. As a film fraternity, let’s upgrade ourselves, learn good work, dream big, grow self-esteem, work harder, and make sure we put our industry on a pedestal. We are not inferior to anyone.”
“I see a lot of youngsters venturing into cinema. I want to tell them, cinema is not just about acting. Learn what is trending, practice discipline, know your responsibilities and how you can better yourself in every department, and always be prepared,” he added.