Yash is gearing up for the release of Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown Ups. While audiences wait to see whether the film lives up to its fairy-tale title, Yash’s own love story with wife Radhika Pandit is nothing short of a fairy tale. Radhika, also an actor, has stayed away from films for nearly seven years. She recently received a special mention at the Toxic trailer launch for being Yash’s supportive wife. Soon after, Yash revealed in an appearance on Aap Ki Adalat why she is also the only person he follows on Instagram.

When a girl in the audience asked him about following just one person on social media, Yash smiled and said: “That’s my wife.” He added: “I follow her because she is the only friend I have.” After quipping, “You are obliged to follow,” Yash got serious about what Radhika means to him: “Jokes apart, she is a very important person in my life. We have grown up together. She has seen me. She has been part of my life and I am very happy. I am blessed to have her because she is like a strong pillar in my life.”

What makes their relationship particularly special to Yash is that Radhika knew him before fame and success.

“She is not somebody who came because I was successful. I was nobody. When both of us were nobody. The best part about relationship is we didn’t even have a car. We didn’t have anything. We have grown together and today we have so many things but what we value the most is being together. The time we spend.”

From co-stars to best friends

Yash and Radhika Pandit first met on the sets of Nanda Gokula in 2005. Radhika was already playing a lead role, while Yash, then known as Naveen Gowda, was a newcomer. Yash recalled in an old interview with Filmfare Kannada: “After my shot, I would go and sit separately. I would read books or think about something. I was very ambitious. However, Radhika has always been someone who speaks to all, makes them feel comfortable. I am extremely opposite. I come out as a very complicated person to people who don’t know me. Yet, we became good friends.”

Their friendship soon led to another unexpected coincidence. Radhika had signed Moggina Manasu (2008), but after the original actor was injured, Yash was offered the lead role opposite her.

Yash-Radhika’s first film together.

“I checked with Radhika when she told me that the hero has been hurt and hence the change. Then we both worked together. Many such co-incidences happened in our lives.”

Working together changed their friendship.

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The proposal that took six months to accept

Yash’s proposal, however, wasn’t exactly straightforward. He had been dropping hints about being in love with someone, while Radhika remained oblivious.

Ahead of their wedding, Radhika recalled in an interview with Bangalore Times: “But, he kept hinting, he used to keep telling me that there was a person that he was in love with. I was glad because he had a different version of love and used to ask him who that girl is. He would tell me, ‘I don’t know, she is not taking hints.’ I would tell him to try different methods.”

Yash and Radhika got engaged in 2016.

Yash eventually decided to make his move on Valentine’s Day. He found out that Radhika was watching a film at PVR Koramangala and rushed there with a hamper filled with things she liked.

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“I wanted to give her a special gift of all things she liked. There were some readymade baskets of things, but they didn’t impress me. Hence, I began putting together all the things that she liked, like carnations, chocolates, and soft toys.”

He even asked PVR officials to stop the screening, but they refused. Instead, he tracked down her car and left the hamper on it.

Yash recalled: “We decided that we should leave the hamper on her car. I didn’t recall the number, but knew it was a black Verna. We went searching across the floors but to no avail. I, then, called her brother for the car’s number plate citing some reason. After a lot of searching and running around, we managed to locate it just in time.”

For Radhika, however, the surprise initially felt more like a scare.

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The couple tied the knot in December, 2016.

“I came there with my parents to get into the car and we got scared. Imagine, there is something very randomly placed on your car. My father was the one who said they were just chocolates, flowers and a teddy bear so I picked it up. The card had Happy Valentine’s Day and I knew who it was from.”

Yash finally confessed his feelings over a phone call a few days later. Radhika, however, took her time before saying yes.

“He was very confident about what he was saying. He was clear on what he wanted and was talking about marriage and a future with me. I took my time, because I had to think. I didn’t want to ruin a relationship because of hasty decision. I bought a little time and he patiently waited, because that little time was six months.”

Six months later, she said yes.

A decade of growing together

Yash took Radhika Pandit home to meet his parents, who immediately understood what was happening. “I took her home on a festival day. My parents understood what I was hinting at. Without asking me anything, my mother brought a family jewellery and asked her to wear it. They just gave me one warning, ‘Do whatever you like. But once you are married, you stay married to her for life.’ Radhika was my first love so it just happened.”

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Yash and Radhika have two kids.

The couple got engaged on August 12, 2016, and married on December 9 that year. They later welcomed daughter Ayra and son Yatharva.

Nearly a decade into their marriage, Yash says their relationship remains rooted in friendship and mutual independence.

“One thing about Radhika and I are that we don’t care to influence each other’s work. We are just like friends to each other. Multiple times we have rejected scripts that starred one of us and wanted the other person too. She is busier and talented than me with more Filmfare Awards and State Awards.”