Yash on 'KGF 2': Expecting huge numbers, but not thinking about breaking records

Mumbai: South star Yash is aware that his upcoming period actioner "KGF: Chapter 2" is riding on huge expectations but the actor says he is not under any pressure as the film will clock huge numbers if it connects with the audience.

Directed by Prashanth Neel, the film is a sequel to "KGF", which became a pan-India success upon its release in 2018 and made Yash a popular name beyond his original Kannada fan base.

During a special event ahead of the sequel's release on April 14, Yash told reporters that his focus was on making a good movie and he is consciously not thinking about breaking existing box office records.

"I don't look at it as a pressure, it's a pleasure to entertain more people. They should like the film, is what we concentrate on. Of course numbers will come. Once the film is released, if the audience likes it, they will promote it more than me. We are expecting a huge number but I never think like, 'We have to break this record or that record'.

"I only think about the potential of what we have done. I'm interested in making records, I don't think about breaking records. Everyone should do it, whoever comes after us should set a new benchmark, so we can aim at bigger things," he said.

The first part of the film featured the 36-year-old actor as Rocky, who rises from poverty to become the king of a gold mine.

Neel said when they made "KGF", they didn't mount it as a pan-India film.

The director said it was Yash who sensed the potential of the film and ensured that it has a nationwide release.

The sequel will be released in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi.

"We didn't start the film trying to make it into a pan-India film. We started out as a Kannada movie. Yash took all the initiative to take it outside and that credit should go to him.

"He was the one who believed that the subject can go outside, and a lot of people will connect with it, the way we probably would've connected only in Karnataka. I'm thankful to everyone who has loved the film, thankful for all the support," Neel said.

Many had attributed the success of the first part of the film to its stylised action sequences.

Yash said along with the action, the sequel is also high on the emotional quotient, which is "the soul of the film".

"I always believe action will be enhanced by the emotion behind it. That's the core point of our cinema. When we say action, it's stylized, not something where you feel awkward. I always do films which I can watch with my family. The family audience should enjoy your films and only then you'll get that number (at the box office).

"We focus on the masses, to watch a film while clapping, dancing and whistling. But there should be a strong content. Every dialogue in the film has a thought process which people can relate to," he added

"KGF: Chapter 2" marks Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt's acting debut in Kannada. The film also stars Prakash Raj, Malavika Avinash, Raveena Tandon and Srinidhi Shetty.