# Gilli Nata
**Gilli Nata** (ಗಿಲ್ಲಿ ನಟ) is the stage name of **Malavalli Nataraj** (ನಟರಾಜ್), a Kannada-language actor, comedian, and television personality known for winning Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 in January 2026.[15](https://sundayguardianlive.com/entertainment-news/who-is-gilli-nata-bigg-boss-kannada-season-12-winner-who-turned-struggles-into-success-know-real-name-prize-money-more-165181/) He first became popular through self-made comedy videos on YouTube and Facebook, then through Kannada reality shows, and in mid-2026 he launched his career as a film lead with *Palaar*.[1](https://vijaykarnataka.com/tv/bigg-boss-kannada/bbk-12-gilli-nata-real-name-family-background-and-biography/articleshow/125013881.cms) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Malavalli Nataraj; "Nata" means actor in Kannada[3](https://thenamesflow.com/gilli-nata-real-name/) |
| Education | SSLC (class 10) followed by a two-year Industrial Training Institute course[4](https://vijaykarnataka.com/web-stories/entertainment/comedy-actor-gilli-nata-name-education-family-biography/photoshow/114676462.cms) |
| Film work | Film debut in *Langoti Man* (2024); role in *The Devil* (2025); *Super Hit* (released February 27, 2026); debut lead in *Palaar* (launched June 2026)[5](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/super-hit-kannada-movie-review-gilli-nata-new-film-comedy-plot-1154141.html) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar) |
## Background
Nataraj was born in a farmer's family in Dadadapura village of Malavalli Taluk in Mandya district, to Kullaiah and Savitha; the family had three children, of which he was the youngest.[1](https://vijaykarnataka.com/tv/bigg-boss-kannada/bbk-12-gilli-nata-real-name-family-background-and-biography/articleshow/125013881.cms) Sources disagree on his date of birth: one biographical account gives 1998, while others list 5 April 1996.[6](https://housepulse.in/people/gilli-nata) • [7](https://starsunfolded.com/gilli-nata/) After passing the SSLC examination he completed a two-year ITI course and moved to Bengaluru to pursue film work.[4](https://vijaykarnataka.com/web-stories/entertainment/comedy-actor-gilli-nata-name-education-family-biography/photoshow/114676462.cms) • [1](https://vijaykarnataka.com/tv/bigg-boss-kannada/bbk-12-gilli-nata-real-name-family-background-and-biography/articleshow/125013881.cms)
**Behind the camera first.** In Bengaluru he worked as a set assistant and in art departments on film projects, and served as an assistant director on some films, while surviving on a monthly salary of ₹6,000, according to an interview with *The Times of India*.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/i-survived-on-just-6000-a-month-gilli-nata/articleshow/131963253.cms) His path to visibility began in village fairs, where he acted in stage plays as a teenager and was noticed by Manju, a person from his village working in the Kannada film industry.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/i-survived-on-just-6000-a-month-gilli-nata/articleshow/131963253.cms) He shot a short film called *Nalli Moole*, posted it to mobile phones and later uploaded comedy skits, built around his own speech style and village idiom, to YouTube and Facebook; the *Nalli Moole* dialogue video went widely viral and earned him the "Gilli" nickname.[1](https://vijaykarnataka.com/tv/bigg-boss-kannada/bbk-12-gilli-nata-real-name-family-background-and-biography/articleshow/125013881.cms) • [9](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/tv/bbk-12-contestant-gilli-nata-s-father-reveals-why-he-left-home-after-completing-iti-exam-105083.html) He has said the nickname stuck from friends who called him "Gilli" while he played the traditional game in Mandya.[10](https://kannada.asianetnews.com/gallery/tv-talk/gilli-nata-unknown-facts-bigg-boss-nataraj-biography-mandya-gvd-58m9hv0)
## Television career
In January 2026 he won Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12, hosted by Kiccha Sudeep, in a finale aired on January 18, 2026; the prize was ₹5 million (₹50 lakh) and a [Maruti Suzuki](https://www.edgepedia.org/maruti-suzuki) car.[3](https://thenamesflow.com/gilli-nata-real-name/) Before the finale, an ETimes poll placed him first with 63 percent of votes, well ahead of Ashwini Gowda and Rakshitha Shetty at 19 percent each.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/gilli-nata) After the win he received congratulations from former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who called him a "genuine rural talent" from Malavalli.[11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/gilli-nata) He visited Shivarajkumar and Kiccha Sudeep to seek their blessings, having been encouraged by both during and after the season.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2026/Feb/25/every-character-moves-the-narrative-in-super-hit)
The prize money drew political discussion: in a special session of the [Karnataka](https://www.edgepedia.org/karnataka) legislature, MLA Pradeep Eshwar explained that most of the ₹5 million (₹50 lakh) would go to the Union government in taxes, citing 18 percent GST, 13 percent income tax, and a 4 percent cess; the report also cites a net figure of ₹3.5 million (₹35 lakh), alongside ₹1 million (₹10 lakh) from Sudeep.[13](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/television/gillis-bigg-boss-kannada-prize-mla-pradeep-eshwar-on-tax-and-net-winning-explain-in-session-1141312.html)
## Films
His film *Super Hit*, directed by Vijayanand and co-starring Gowrav Shetty and Shwetha, was released on February 27, 2026, with a runtime of 135 minutes and a comedy, crime, mystery genre listing; its three principal characters jointly drive the narrative rather than a single lead.[5](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/super-hit-kannada-movie-review-gilli-nata-new-film-comedy-plot-1154141.html) • [12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2026/Feb/25/every-character-moves-the-narrative-in-super-hit)
**Debut as a lead.** In June 2026, *Palaar*, presented by KVN Productions, was launched with a traditional muhurat (auspicious ceremonial launch of a film shoot) on June 21, which was also Gilli Nata's birthday.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar) Directed by Chandramohan, known for *Bombay Mittai*, *Double Engine*, *Brahmachari*, and *[Forest](https://www.edgepedia.org/forest-2025-film)*, the film is billed as a full-fledged rural comedy entertainer.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar) • [14](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/17/gilli-nata-having-kvn-productions-present-my-film-is-a-big-boost) The muhurat marked the first production venture of KVN executive producers Harish and Naveen, with veteran actor-filmmaker V Ravichandran sounding the first clap and producer Ramesh Reddy switching on the camera.[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar)
## Writing and directing ambitions
Alongside his acting career, Gilli Nata is involved in the scriptwriting of *Palaar* together with Chandramohan, and has publicly stated an ambition to direct a film someday.[14](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/17/gilli-nata-having-kvn-productions-present-my-film-is-a-big-boost) "I have always aspired to become a director someday, but acting in films is an important part of that journey," he told Cinema Express.[14](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/17/gilli-nata-having-kvn-productions-present-my-film-is-a-big-boost)
His public reception has leaned on his rural persona. He credits his [Bigg Boss](https://www.edgepedia.org/bigg-boss) popularity entirely to Kannada-speaking audiences, naming support from farmers, soldiers, politicians, and Kannadigas outside the state, and describes his core aspiration as wanting people to remember him.[12](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2026/Feb/25/every-character-moves-the-narrative-in-super-hit) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/i-survived-on-just-6000-a-month-gilli-nata/articleshow/131963253.cms) His Instagram following grew from about one lakh before the season to 2 million (20 lakh; 2 million) after his win.[13](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/television/gillis-bigg-boss-kannada-prize-mla-pradeep-eshwar-on-tax-and-net-winning-explain-in-session-1141312.html)
## References
1. [ಗಿಲ್ಲಿ ನಟನ ನಿಜವಾದ ಹೆಸರೇನು? ಓದಿರೋದೇನು? ಹಿನ್ನಲೆ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ನಿಮ್ಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾ?, Vijaya Karnataka](https://vijaykarnataka.com/tv/bigg-boss-kannada/bbk-12-gilli-nata-real-name-family-background-and-biography/articleshow/125013881.cms)
2. [Gilli Nata turns lead in Chandramohan's Palaar, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/22/gilli-nata-turns-lead-in-chandramohans-palaar)
3. [Gilli Nata Real Name: The True Story Behind Fame, TheNamesFlow](https://thenamesflow.com/gilli-nata-real-name/)
4. [ಯಾರೀ ಗಿಲ್ಲಿ ನಟ? ಇವರ ನಿಜವಾದ ಹೆಸರು ಏನು? ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಏನು?, Vijaya Karnataka](https://vijaykarnataka.com/web-stories/entertainment/comedy-actor-gilli-nata-name-education-family-biography/photoshow/114676462.cms)
5. [Super Hit Kannada Movie Review, TV9 Kannada](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/movie-reviews/super-hit-kannada-movie-review-gilli-nata-new-film-comedy-plot-1154141.html)
6. [Gilli Nata, HousePulse](https://housepulse.in/people/gilli-nata)
7. [Gilli Nata (Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12) Age, Family, Biography, StarsUnfolded](https://starsunfolded.com/gilli-nata/)
8. [I survived on just ₹6,000 a month: Gilli Nata, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/i-survived-on-just-6000-a-month-gilli-nata/articleshow/131963253.cms)
9. [BBK 12 Contestant Gilli Nata's Father Reveals Why He Left Home After Completing ITI Exam, Kannada Filmibeat](https://kannada.filmibeat.com/tv/bbk-12-contestant-gilli-nata-s-father-reveals-why-he-left-home-after-completing-iti-exam-105083.html)
10. [ಸೋಶಿಯಲ್ ಮೀಡಿಯಾದಲ್ಲಿ ಫೇಮಸ್, ಬಿಗ್ ಬಾಸ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಫೈರ್: ಗಿಲ್ಲಿ ನಟನ ಕುರಿತು 6 ಇಂಟರೆಸ್ಟಿಂಗ್ ಸಂಗತಿಗಳು, Asianet Suvarna News](https://kannada.asianetnews.com/gallery/tv-talk/gilli-nata-unknown-facts-bigg-boss-nataraj-biography-mandya-gvd-58m9hv0)
11. [Gilli Nata topic page, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/gilli-nata)
12. ['Every character moves the narrative in Super Hit', Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/interviews/2026/Feb/25/every-character-moves-the-narrative-in-super-hit)
13. [ವಿಶೇಷ ಅಧಿವೇಶನದಲ್ಲೂ ಚರ್ಚೆ ಆಯ್ತು ಗಿಲ್ಲಿ ನಟನ ಹೆಸರು, TV9 Kannada](https://tv9kannada.com/entertainment/television/gillis-bigg-boss-kannada-prize-mla-pradeep-eshwar-on-tax-and-net-winning-explain-in-session-1141312.html)
14. [Gilli Nata: Having KVN Productions present my film is a big boost, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/kannada/news/2026/Jun/17/gilli-nata-having-kvn-productions-present-my-film-is-a-big-boost)
15. [Who is Gilli Nata? Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 Winner Who Turned Struggles Into Success, Know Real Name, Prize Money & More, sundayguardianlive.com](https://sundayguardianlive.com/entertainment-news/who-is-gilli-nata-bigg-boss-kannada-season-12-winner-who-turned-struggles-into-success-know-real-name-prize-money-more-165181/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of South Asia › Indian screen actors, 2000s onward › Surnames L to Pr*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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