SHEHNAAZ GILL: BEST THI, BEST HOON
The actor-singer says showbiz hasn’t changed her
Nothing has come to me easily or before time. Maine apni mehnat se kamaya hai yeh sab kuch. SHEHNAAZ GILL, Actor
Shehnaaz Gill introduced herself as ‘Punjab ki Katrina Kaif’ when she first appeared on reality show Bigg Boss 13 in 2019. Soon after the show ended, she earned a massive fan following with countless fan clubs rooting for her on social media. And the actor-singer doesn’t hesitate one bit in saying, “Maine apni mehnat se kamaya hai yeh sab kuch.”
She adds, “Nothing has come to me easily or before time. I believe if something comes to you too soon, it goes away soon. I’m working hard and I’ll continue to do so, because I want to earn more of this love.”
Gill visited Gurugram on May 7 to attend a campaign for girl child empowerment by Brahma Kumaris. She obliged the fans who had come to see her, with as many as 500 selfies and pictures. And before leaving, she made sure to ask everyone: “Happy? Satisfied?”
Mention how this is a rare quality in actors to be so patient, and Gill shares, “Only if my fans are satisfied will I get satisfaction, because these are the people who support me day and night. So, those who love me, I have to love them back.”
An already established name in Punjabi entertainment industry, Gill became a national household name after her stint on Bigg Boss. Ask how things have changed since that show, and she tells us, “I think I am the same. Purity toh same hi hai but I’ve improved a lot in terms of how I can understand things better. Main pehle bhi best thi, ab bhi best hoon.”
While she has shifted base to Mumbai (from Punjab) and is aspiring to work in Bollywood, she asserts that she will always stay connected to her roots. “You can see how Punjabi reflects in the way I talk. No matter where you live, your place of birth and where you started your journey from, it never leaves you. Mumbai has its own charm; it’s the city of dreams. It was my dream to come to this [film] industry, and I’m so happy that I’m living here (in Mumbai) now,” she shares.
While Mumbai hasn’t really changed Gill much, her style and fashion choices have certainly evolved of late. Her airport looks and glamourous photoshoots have been making quite a buzz. “Fashion comes naturally to me, it has been something innate,” says Gill, before adding, “Earlier, I had limited earnings, so I did styling according to that. Also, I wasn’t comfortable in jeans back then because everyone can’t carry it with that weight. Many do it beautifully, but mere se nahin ho paa raha tha, so I was mostly comfortable in suits. But now that I’m making more money, I can style myself better.”
Gill also shares a body positivity message with those who often let other people’s opinions affect them and the way they look. “Whatever way God has made you, it is perfect, so we should never regret the way we look. Never look at the qualities other people possess, rather feel proud of your own body. Stay strong mentally and physically, and there’s a time for everything to happen. Bas ghabrana nahin hai,” she wraps up on a thoughtful note.