Ram Gopal Varma says debate on Yash’s stardom pre-KGF is laughable: Hindi audience didn't know Prabhas before Baahubali

Yash became a nationwide sensation with the release of KGF films. His latest release, Toxic, has received largely negative reviews.

Yash is making a splash with the release of his highly anticipated film Toxic. The gangster drama opened to largely negative reviews and is underperforming at the box office. The film was supposed to be Yash's big success after the KGF movies but so far that has not been the case. Veteran producer Allu Aravind’s old ‘Who was Yash before KGF?’ remark resurfaced online amid the buzz around Yash’s latest film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Now filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has commented on the same.

Ram Gopal Varma has commented on Yash's stardom amid Toxic debacle.

Taking to X on Tuesday, the filmmaker wrote, “The controversy regarding #AlluAravind ‘s statement regarding #Yash is ridiculously laughable because what he clearly meant when he talked about big films with unknown actors and saying he dint know of Yash before KGF , even a dumbo should understand that it was in context of the below.”

‘Even directors like Nolan use names only for their acting prowess’

He added, "The Hindi audience dint know Prabhas before Baahubali , they dint know Rishab before Kantara , I dint know Brando before Godfather..Maybe he was a star before in his films A street car named desire , on the water front etc ..I don’t know if they released in india also .. That’s because those films made them big stars and not the other way around ..Hollywood always spends big on concept films and not on stars ..Even directors like Nolan use names only for their acting prowess and not to depend on their stardom ..We all know whether it’s Oppenheimer or Odyssey , they would work as much irrespective of who’s in it

Deep Dive

What are the key points about Yash's career before KGF?

Why is the controversy surrounding Allu Aravind's statement about Yash significant?

How has the reception of Yash's film Toxic impacted its box office performance?

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Coming back to the subject of Allu , it’s only highly egotistic people who will take his statement personally on such a general well meaning thought ..Actually this kind of reaction also explains why they are making what they are making."

The controversy dates back to 2023, when Allu Aravind spoke about KGF’s success and questioned Yash’s standing before the franchise. His “Who was Yash before KGF?” remark drew criticism from the actor’s fans and has now found its way back into the spotlight.

Addressing the issue without naming Aravind, Pushpa said that Yash was already a known and successful name in Kannada cinema well before KGF. She pointed to his string of successful films and years of hard work, stressing that his rise to pan-India fame did not happen overnight.

Toxic adds to Yash’s box office run

Despite mixed reviews, the film has managed to draw audiences and crossed the ₹200 crore mark in India within five days of its release. The film has also been in the news for its intense violence and sexual content, which has divided opinions among viewers.

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups stars Yash, Nayanthara and Kiara Advani in the lead, alongside Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth and Tara Sutaria. Released on August 26 in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English, the film is now eyeing the ₹300 crore worldwide milestone.