Shehnaaz Gill’s candour, coupled with her chirpiness, made her popular on Bigg Boss 13. But as we sit down to talk about her Bollywood debut, Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (KKBKKJ), it doesn’t take long to note that her mood influences her conversation. Tired after back-to-back video interactions, Gill chooses to be curt, even if candid. Perhaps being constantly in the public eye hasn’t prepared her for an interaction when no one is watching her.

She begins, “I have always been in the public eye. So, it hasn’t been too hard for me [to be a public figure]. I love that people love me. What else does an actor want?”

Gill has been one of the biggest success stories to come out of a reality show. After being adjudged the second runner-up on Bigg Boss 13, she bagged endorsements and music videos. Her next stop — Bollywood. However, she had to endure a long process of “grooming” before foraying into movies. 

“When I came out of Bigg Boss, I understood that I needed to work hard on myself. The most difficult part was to lose weight. Then, I had to work on my styling. A lot of people used to tell me that I had to lose weight [for a Bollywood career], but I did it only when I felt the need to.”

Today, she has a promising debut vehicle in the Salman Khan-led KKBKKJ. The superstar has been unflinching in his support towards Gill since her reality show days. She, however, emphasizes that Khan is protective towards everyone around him. “It’s not just me or Palak [Tiwari] that he is protective of. He takes care of everyone, even those who are older than him.”

In her short run in showbiz so far, Gill has received not only immense love, but also brickbats. From being trolled for her closeness with Khan, to being accused of moving on ‘too quickly’ after Sidharth Shukla’s demise, she has seen plenty. The negativity doesn’t affect her, she asserts.

“Now, more eyes are on me. People think, let’s make her miserable now that she is entering Bollywood. But that’s not going to happen. It can’t affect me.”