Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Sep 1: Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has defended veteran producer Allu Aravind's old remark questioning Yash's popularity before the KGF franchise, saying the statement was taken out of context.
The controversy resurfaced following the release of Yash's latest film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, which opened to mixed reviews and has been underperforming compared with expectations. Aravind's 2023 comment, "Who was Yash before KGF?", has once again triggered discussion among fans.
Taking to X on Tuesday, Varma described the controversy as "ridiculously laughable" and said Aravind was referring to how films can turn relatively unknown actors into major stars rather than stars being solely responsible for a film's success.
Varma cited examples including Prabhas becoming widely known among Hindi audiences after Baahubali and Rishab Shetty gaining pan-India recognition following Kantara. He also referred to Hollywood, arguing that major films often rely on strong concepts and performances rather than an actor's existing stardom.
Varma said only "highly egotistic people" would take Aravind's general observation personally and suggested that the reaction itself explained why some people were responding strongly to the comment.
The controversy dates back to 2023, when Aravind spoke about the success of the KGF franchise and questioned Yash's standing before the films. Yash's fans criticised the remark, arguing that he had already established himself as a successful actor in Kannada cinema through several films before achieving pan-India fame with KGF.
Despite mixed reviews, Toxic has crossed the Rs 200-crore mark in India within five days of its release and is targeting the Rs 300-crore worldwide milestone. The film has also attracted attention for its intense violence and sexual content, which has divided 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. The film was released on August 26 in Kannada, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and English.