Gilli Nata
Indian actor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malavalli Nataraj (born 21 June 1998), more popularly known as Gilli Nata, is an actor and television personality working in Kannada entertainment industry. He began his career working as set assistant and in art departments for films. Gilli's breakthrough came in 2022 with Comedy Khiladigalu season 4, a humour television reality show, where he finished as the first runner-up.[1] Following this, he featured in the dance reality show, Dance Karnataka Dance and won the Best Entertainer Award.[2] He made his film debut in 2024 with Langoti Man and later featured in a small role in Darshan's The Devil (2025).[3]
Gilli Nata | |
|---|---|
| Born | Malavalli Nataraj June 21, 1998 |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Known for | Winner of Bigg Boss Kannada (season 12) |
Gilli's biggest success came through the reality show Bigg Boss Kannada (season 12) (2025–26), where he emerged as the winner.[4][5]
Early life
Gilli was born as Malavalli Nataraj on 21 June 1998 in a humble farmer family of Kullaiah and Savitha in Dadadapura village of Malavalli Taluk in Mandya district. He completed his schooling in Mandya and later pursued a two-year ITI course.[6]. He migrated to Bengaluru dreaming about making big in entertainment industry. He took up small assignments as a set assistant and worked in art departments for various film projects.
Career
Television
Gilli Nata began gaining public recognition through his participation in Comedy Khiladigalu Season 4 (2022), where he finished as the first runner-up. He went on to participate in Dance Karnataka Dance. He later appeared in Bharjari Bachelors.
In January 2026, Gilli Nata reached a major milestone in his television career by emerging as the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada season 12. The finale aired on January 18, 2026, where he was the winner, winning ₹50 lakh and a Maruti Suzuki car.
Films
Gilli's first film appearance was in a comedy role in the film Langoti Man (2024). This was followed by small budget films such as Super Hit (2024) and 1st Day 1st Show (2025). He had a short role in The Devil.
Filmography
External links
- Gilli Nata at IMDb
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