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.”