Ramayana Star Yash Once Slept on Streets, Father Earned Rs 14 a Day But Refused to Quit His Bus Driver Job – Here's Why

Before starring in Ramayana, actor Yash slept on Bengaluru streets while his father earned Rs 14 a day as a bus driver. Even after Yash became a superstar, his father refused to quit his job, valuing his own self-earned respect over celebrity status.

Actor Yash, who plays Ravana in epic film Ramayana, once slept on the streets of Bengaluru after running away from home with just Rs 300 in his pocket, while his father earned Rs 14 a day as a bus driver.

Growing up in Hassan district of Karnataka, the KGF star faced severe financial hardships before breaking into television and cinema. Despite achieving massive pan-India stardom years later, his father chose to continue driving government buses, refusing to live off his son's celebrity status.

Rs 300 in hand and nights on the pavement

Rs 300 in his pocket! That was all Yash carried when he left his hometown as a teenager to pursue an acting career in Bengaluru. The money was scarce. With no shelter, he spent initial nights sleeping on the city streets. Recalling a terrifying night on the pavement when he feared being evicted by police officers, Yash made a firm vow to transform his life and become a superstar.

His father worked tirelessly as a government bus driver during those early years. "I used to earn Rs 14 a day. I went through a lot of hardships to give Yash a better life," his father recalled, adding that he maintained strict discipline with young Yash to ensure he stayed on the right path despite their financial struggles.

"You do your job; I will do mine"

Stardom changed Yash's financial standing completely, but it did not alter his father's commitment to his own profession. Even after his son became one of the highest-paid actors in Indian cinema, his father refused to quit driving buses. When asked about his decision, his father told Yash plainly: "You do your job; I will do mine."

Rejecting luxury cars and financial reliance on his son, his father emphasised self-respect over derivative fame. "Look, all this is superficial respect. Whoever comes up and respects me as 'Yash's father'—that's nice, it's good. But the respect my colleagues and my peers give me for my own work, that is truly mine," his father shared.

From street pavement to playing Ravana

Today, Yash is co-producing and playing the antagonist Ravana in director Nitesh Tiwari's multi-part cinematic adaptation of Ramayana. The transformation from sleeping on city pavements to helming one of India's biggest film projects marks one of Indian cinema's most dramatic journey stories.

Navigating the role has also brought lighthearted moments at home. Yash shared that his son Yatharv was initially confused about his casting as Ravana. "For a son, his father is his hero. Since he knows the story, he asked me, 'You are Ravana? How can you be Ravana? Aren't you Rama?' So, I said, 'Yes, I am Rama in real life, but in the movie, I am playing Ravana,'" the actor revealed.