Prabhas is still ahead of Yash in the pan-India stardom race, believes director Hemanth Madhukar. While Yash has been making waves with his portrayal of Ravana in Nitesh Tiwari’s ambitious Ramayana, Madhukar feels Prabhas has a stronger nationwide presence, thanks to the success of Baahubali and his subsequent films.
“Prabhas is ahead of Yash when it comes to the pan-India tag. The Baahubali franchise established him across the country, while his films such as Saaho, Adipurush, Salaar and Kalki 2898 AD further expanded his market. His upcoming films like Spirit and Fauzi are also generating considerable interest worldwide,” says Hemanth Madhukar.
However, the director is equally impressed with Yash’s transformation and his portrayal of Ravana in Ramayana. He believes it is too early to compare the two stars on the basis of their latest projects. “Yash has done a wonderful job in building a market for himself beyond Kannada cinema. His performance as Ravana has brought him into the national spotlight again. But it is too early to draw comparisons with Prabhas. We need to wait and see how his upcoming films perform,” he adds.
Yash’s rise has been remarkable. Before KGF, he was largely known to Kannada audiences. But Prashanth Neel’s action franchise changed his career completely. Rocky Bhai became a household name, particularly in the Hindi belt, and KGF: Chapter 2 established him as one of the most recognisable faces in Indian cinema.
His association with Ramayana is another significant step. Playing Ravana in a film mounted on such a massive scale gives him an opportunity to connect with audiences across generations and languages. The attention surrounding the film has further strengthened his nationwide visibility.
A producer points out that Prabhas and Yash have taken different routes to pan-India stardom. “Yash became a national sensation with KGF, and the franchise gave him tremendous visibility in the Hindi market. Prabhas, on the other hand, achieved that reach much earlier with Baahubali. The first part introduced him to audiences across India, while Baahubali 2 took his popularity to another level,” he says.
Prabhas has also managed to remain in the national conversation despite experiencing mixed responses to some of his films. Saaho and Adipurush generated substantial theatrical interest, while Salaar and Kalki 2898 AD demonstrated his ability to draw audiences across different markets and genres.
The two stars also enjoy different market strengths. Prabhas has a massive following in the Telugu states and a well-established presence in North India. Yash, meanwhile, has built a strong following in the Hindi belt through KGF, apart from his loyal Kannada fan base.
For distributors and trade observers, the real test of pan-India stardom is not just a big opening but the ability to attract audiences consistently across territories. Prabhas has had a longer run in this space, while Yash is now looking to establish the same reach with projects beyond the KGF franchise.
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