Gilli Nata Age: Biography, Real Name, Caste, TV Shows, Net Worth, Family, Girlfriend and More

Sapna Singh August 26, 2026

103 10 minutes read

Gilli Nata is one of the most popular Kannada actors, comedians, content creator & Television personality who gained nationwide fame after winning Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12. A true rags-to-riches tale from a small village background in Mandya, serving up the persistence and talent with audience connect that saw him back as Karnataka’s biggest entertainer via TV.

It was followed by comedy shows, digital content, and film work before he headed into Bigg Boss Kannada. The best part was his natural humour, Mandya Kannada dialect, and relating to a common man’s life helped him gain popularity. He won Bigg Boss Kannada 12 in January 2026, which became the biggest milestone of his career. This article covers Gilli Nata age, career, relationship, family, tv shows, net worth, bigg boss, and other important details.

Who is Gilli Nata?

Gilli Nata is a famous actor, comedian, content creator, and reality-TV personality from Kannada. His original name purportedly has been Malavalli Nataraj, though some mainstream reports have simply called him Natrja or –more loosely– Nataraj.

He hails from a farming family at Malavalli in Karnataka’s Mandya district. Initially wishing to follow a career in film as a director, he worked various behind-the-scenes jobs before working his way up into acting.

His career took a new turn with Comedy Khiladigalu Season 4, where the finale saw him as first runner-up. He went on to work in Dance Karnataka Dance, Bharjari Bachelors, and emerged as the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.

Gilli Nata Profile

Details	Information
Full/Real Name	Malavalli Nataraj / Nataraja
Popular Name	Gilli Nata
Profession	Actor, Comedian, Content Creator, Television Personality
Birthplace	Dadadapura, Malavalli, Mandya, Karnataka
Nationality	Indian
Industry	Kannada Entertainment Industry
Known For	Comedy, Television, Films, Bigg Boss Kannada 12
Bigg Boss Season	Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12
Bigg Boss Result	Winner
Bigg Boss Prize	₹50 lakh + Maruti Suzuki Invicto SUV
Additional Gift	₹10 lakh from Kiccha Sudeep
Marital Status	Not publicly confirmed as married

Gilli Nata Age

There is some inconsistency in the reports regarding the exact date of birth of Gilli Nata. The date mentioned in various entertainment magazines is 5 April 1996. In 2026, Gilli Nata will turn 30 years old.

Gilli Nata Caste and Real Name

The real name of Gilli Nata is said to be Malavalli Nataraj. The name “Malavalli” pertains to his connection with the Malavalli area of Mandya district in Karnataka. Sometimes people describe him as Nataraj only.

The caste of Gilli Nata has not been officially verified in a credible statement by Gilli Nata himself. It must be noted here that the caste of any public personality cannot be determined just by unverified statements. The safest way is to say that he hails from a farming family of Mandya district.

Gilli Nata Early Life and Background

He was born and brought up in an ordinary village family in the Malavalli region of the Mandya district in Karnataka. He completed his early education in his native place and then attended an ITI course for two years. His first ambition was to become a movie director.

After settling down in Bengaluru, he worked in different capacities in the movie unit in the background, including on sets and in artwork. He also tried his hand at scriptwriting and making short movies and comedy content, finally entering the acting world.

When he struggled in Bengaluru, he lived on an income of around ₹6,000 per month.

Gilli Nata Family Details

Gilli Nata is said to have come from a family of farmers. He is the son of Kullaiah and Savitha, according to some biographical accounts, but major mainstream publications do not provide in-depth coverage of his family members.

His rural upbringing has continued to play a key role in his public persona. Instead of shying away from his roots, he linked both his comedy and public persona with village life, common men, and the Mandya district.

Detailed information about his siblings and other extended members of the family is not reliably available from credible sources; therefore, unverified claims should be avoided.

Gilli Nata Height, Weight, and Physical Stats

There is no reliable official source confirming Gilli Nata’s exact height, weight or complete physical measurements.

Physical Detail	Information
Height	Not officially confirmed
Weight	Not officially confirmed
Eye Colour	Not reliably documented
Hair Colour	Black
Body Measurements	Not publicly verified

Gilli Nata Girlfriend and Relationship

Gilli Nata mostly keeps his private life under wraps. There is no reliably proven information regarding a girlfriend or publicly established love affair.

Several entertainment sites say he is single or not dating any girl publicly, but this must be taken as no confirmed relationship evidence in public, rather the indication of his private life.

While he was in Bigg Boss Kannada, viewers obviously speculated about relationships and equations inside the house. But speculation regarding reality television isn’t the same as confirming a real-world relationship.

Gilli Nata Career Journey

Gilli Nata’s career can be divided into several important stages.

Struggling Years in Bengaluru

After completing his studies and ITI, Gilli started to head towards Bengaluru with the ambition of being in cinema. Instead of starting as an actor straight away, Gilli began from backstage.

He was a set assistant and was associated with the art department and production-related tasks. He was also an assistant director and took up any job available to make ends meet.

It was a very significant phase for Gilli since he learned filmmaking through practical experience and not just theoretical knowledge.

Entry Into Comedy and Digital Content

He slowly realised that Gilli’s biggest strength was taking mundane situations and making them funny.

He turned towards content creation more often during the pandemic. His comic sense revolved around relatable family, student life, social media, village, and Kannada culture.

One of the most recognizable facets observed in him was his Mandya Kannada dialect. Rather than imitating the mainstream comedy style, he carved an identity based on local tongue, rustic humour, and relatable anecdotes from day-to-day life.

Comedy Khiladigalu Season 4

The real change in the game was with Season 4 of Comedy Khiladigalu.

Gilli’s performances received attention for their effortless comic timing and exuberant stage presence. Thus earning the most public exposure of his career in Kannada television by finishing as first runner-up.

While he did not win the show, the exposure was incredibly beneficial for him.

Dance Karnataka Dance

Gilli is well-known for his participation in Dance Karnataka Dance, a show where many people moved on from pure comedy to other regular shows, after all founders of Comedy Khiladigalu.

A dynamic figure who can captivate audiences. Later, he was blessed with a Best Entertainer Award, which is an important honour in his television career.

Bharjari Bachelors

Gilli had also been on Bharjari Bachelors, making him a well-known figure in Kannada television entertainment.

It showed that he represented more than just one comedy show. He could likewise appear on different reality and entertainment properties.

Entry Into Films

Gilli then joined Kannada films.

He has worked on Langoti Man and later featured in the film related to Devil, Super Hit and 1st Day 1st Show. His performance in Devil with Darshan was yet another link to Kannada films.

In 2026, he was in the limelight for his part in Super Hit, with other acting offers reportedly coming his way, such as Palaar and others.

Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12

However, his greatest achievement came in Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.

This season aired from September 2025 to 18 January 2026. Gilli was crowned the winner after beating a tough lot of contestants.

His sense of humor, simple nature, emotional quotient, and capability of connecting with common people made him one of the fan favorites of that season.

Winning the season helped him to get:

Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 trophy
Rs. 50 lakh cash prize
Maruti Suzuki Invicto SUV
Further Rs. 10 lakh as a special prize by host Kiccha Sudeep

Winning the season gave a big boost to Gilli’s popularity as a Kannada entertainer.

Career After Bigg Boss Kannada

Following his victory in Bigg Boss Kannada 12, the popularity and market value of Gilli have risen significantly. He started getting recognition in movies, and opportunities related to it were opening up.

According to reports, in 2026, Gilli was making preparations for bigger film roles, one of which included the role of a lead in a new Kannada movie.

This implies that his career is moving on from comedy and reality TV to acting in mainstream films.

Gilli Nata TV Shows

Gilli Nata has been associated with several Kannada television programmes.

TV Show	Role/Achievement
Comedy Khiladigalu Season 4	First Runner-Up
Dance Karnataka Dance	Performer/Entertainer
Bharjari Bachelors	Television appearance
Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12	Winner

His biggest television achievement so far remains his Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 victory.

Gilli Nata Awards and Recognition

Gilli Nata has made a name for himself through his comedy and TV shows.

Best Entertainer Award

He was honored with the Best Entertainer Award because of his entertainment through his stint at Dance Karnataka Dance.

Comedy Khiladigalu Award

It is to be noted that Gilli Nata was the first runner-up in season 4 of Comedy Khiladigalu, thereby making him a popular Kannada comedian.

Winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12

In January 2026, he won Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.

Gilli Nata Net Worth and Income Sources

The estimated net worth of Gilli Nata is supposed to be somewhere between ₹40 lakh and ₹60 lakh. It is said that his financial success has been largely due to the success he had in reality shows such as Bigg Boss Kannada 12, which he won.

Bigg Boss Kannada 12 Winnings

Bigg Boss Kannada 12 was won by Gilli Nata, and he received ₹50 lakh as the prize money. After all the taxes were deducted, his estimated winnings can be said to be ₹34.4 lakh. Not only that, but he got an additional cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a car from Bigg Boss Kannada and its host, Kiccha Sudeep.

Gilli Nata Car Collection

The well-recognized car owned by Gilli Nata is the Maruti Suzuki Invicto SUV car, which was part of the prize he won in Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.

Other websites report that he has other luxurious cars; however, no credible sources have verified these claims. Hence, a list of his cars cannot be confirmed yet.

Gilli Nata Social Media Presence

Social media has been one of the key drivers of Gilli Nata’s success.

The Instagram profile of Gilli Nata is known to be @official_gilli_nata. Based on third-party Instagram statistics providers, this Instagram profile had over 2 million followers in 2026.

Controversy and Rumours

Gilli Nata’s rise has also included several controversies, particularly during Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12.

Complaint Over an Incident with Risha Gowda

In November 2025, a complaint was made to the Karnataka State Women’s Commission regarding an incident involving Gilli Nata and another contestant, Risha Gowda. The complaint was regarding misconduct during a heated argument where a bucket of hot water was involved.

As per the reports, the footage of the incident was reviewed by the Women’s Commission, and initially, there was no clear proof of any misconduct on the part of Gilli, but the matter was then taken up by the legal team. It was known that Risha had been given a warning after she had physically pushed Gilli in the incident.

This needs to be mentioned as an allegation/complaint and not misconduct.

Arguments within Bigg Boss House

The nature of comedy and outspokenness of Gilli at times led to arguments within the Bigg Boss house. One such case took place when there were some visits from previous contestants to the Bigg Boss house, where the comments from Gilli were seen by some as an offense. There was a divide among viewers as to whether the comments were offensive or just a part of the task.

Post-Bigg Boss Complaint

One complaint against Gilli was filed against him with the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce after he became a winner on Bigg Boss, by a Kannada film producer. There were not enough reports about the actual nature of this complaint.

Rumours About Bigg Boss Voting

Following Gilli’s victory, finalist Ashwini Gowda publicly questioned the voting outcome and expressed the view that the vote figures would have supported her. These were her claims and should not be interpreted as proof that the Bigg Boss result was incorrect. Gilli officially remained the winner of Season 12.

Interesting Facts About Gilli Nata

The reported actual name of Gilli Nata is Malavalli Nataraj.
Hailing from the Malavalli area of Mandya district, Karnataka.
Gilli Nata had a rural / agriculture upbringing.
Having reportedly done a two-year ITI course.
He reportedly did backstage work in films before being recognized as a comedian.
Gilli Nata has talked about surviving on an estimated ₹6,000 per month in his initial days in Bengaluru.
His Mandya Kannada accent played an important role in establishing his comedic persona.
He was the first runner-up of Comedy Khiladigalu Season 4.
Gilli Nata has won the Best Entertainer Award during his TV tenure.
He has become the winner of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 in January 2026.
The amount that he got as a reward from Bigg Boss is ₹50 lakh and a Maruti Suzuki Invicto SUV.
Kiccha Sudeep announced ₹10 lakh personal prize money for Gilli.

Conclusion

Gilli Nata’s biography is a tale of a rural boy, who has entered the Kannada entertainment industry without any help of a film background. His journey from being a backstage worker and earning a little money in Bengaluru to becoming a comedian and reality show winner has taken several stages of hard work and experiments.

Winning of Bigg Boss Kannada Season 12 turned out to be his biggest milestone till now. Winning a prize of 50 lakhs, a Maruti Suzuki Invicto car and also getting a prize of 10 lakhs from Kiccha Sudeep made him more prominent. As he got immense popularity on social media platforms and films, his upcoming phase will revolve around mainstream Kannada films and entertainment.