‘Shah Rukh Khan is still a superstar’: Yash says KGF beating Zero doesn’t make him bigger, ‘I’m still his fan’

Seven years ago, Yash revisited the box-office showdown that first spotlighted him nationally, and despite KGF: Chapter 1 edging out Shah Rukh Khan's Zero at the time, the Kannada actor remains steadfast in his belief of whose status shines brighter. Yash is set to release Geetu Mohandas' Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups on August 26, prompting Maddock Films to push the Shraddha Kapoor-starrer Eetha off its original August 28 slot.

This move appears wise considering the outcome of Yash's previous high-profile showdown. KGF: Chapter 1 premiered alongside Zero on December 21, 2018, and despite the latter boasting A-list stars such as Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma, and Katrina Kaif, Yash's Kannada action drama still outperformed it worldwide. When addressing Bigg Boss 20's potential co-hosting of Shah Rukh Khan, Yash refuses to claim superiority.

He maintains that he remains a fan of Khan, noting that their film was the smaller one at the time, while Khan's was bigger, which is why they opted for the earlier release. "I’m still his fan," Yash affirmed in a promo of his upcoming Aap Ki Adalat episode. "We were a small film. Shah Rukh sir’s film was bigger, so we released ours," he added.

While the numbers indicate a modest tale, Yash refrains from interpreting the gap as a verdict on his standing relative to Khan. He clarifies, "He’s a superstar. The day I think I’m bigger than my seniors, I’m done." Yash emphasizes that the film's simultaneous release across five languages required a date that suited every market's distributors, not a choice to compete with anyone.

He acknowledges that a clash was inevitable in Delhi but remains confident that a strong film will stand out regardless of its competition, asserting that no single film can claim the entire country, and typically, there's room for two or three releases to coexist.