Actor Yash’s birthday goes Metro: Friends turn Purple Line coaches into moving tribute

Bengaluru: It's a familiar sight in Bengaluru — streets plastered with posters of film stars and politicians marking their birthdays. But this year, celebrations for Kannada cinema's ‘Rocking Star' Yash took spectacle to a whole new level, soaring literally above the city.In a first-of-its-kind gesture, Yash's friends transformed a Namma Metro train on the Purple Line into a moving billboard, completely wrapped in a special birthday advertisement, creating a dazzling surprise for the actor ahead of his 40th birthday on Jan 8.
Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL), which began exploring new avenues for non-fare revenue, started allowing full-body advertisements on operational Metro trains from June 2025. Seizing this opportunity, Yash's friends booked advertising space on the coaches to create a one-of-a-kind birthday tribute.Akash Gowda, head of Yash's fan club, said the idea was born from a desire to surprise the actor in an unconventional way. "Cine stars are usually celebrated with posters, cutouts, or social media trends. As his close friends, we wanted to do something extraordinary. This is the first time a Metro train has been used exclusively to carry birthday wishes for a film star," Gowda said.The entire process of wrapping the coaches with the birthday advertisement was video-recorded and shared across social media, quickly capturing the attention of fans.The advertisement will remain on the train, running between Challaghatta and Whitefield, for one month.While Namma Metro coaches have previously carried advertisements for cars, banks, and other brands, this is the first time the space has been booked exclusively for a celebrity birthday celebration.