Mahi Gill

Born on 27th November 1975 in Chandigarh
Mahi Gill is an Indian actress who played lead actress in Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed Hindi film Dev D. She played the character of Paro in Dev D, which is a modern take on Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's Bengali novella Devdas. She started her career in Punjabi Films before making a debut in Bollywood.

Mahi Gill is a Punjabi girl who hails from Chandigarh. She started her career in Punjabi Films before making a debut in Bollywood.

Her debut movie is Anurag Kashyap’s 'Dev. D', where she essays the character of modern-day Paro. For Mahi, who has done Masters in theatre from Punjab University, getting the chance to work in a Hindi film was a dream come true. Anurag saw her first in a party and instantly finalized her to play the character of Paro.

Mahi got her first break with film ‘Havaayen’ and has done a couple of Punjabi films along with theatre. She is thankful to her professor Mohan Maharshi and actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya, those who have guided her and put their faith in her.

The actress admits that she is nervous in front of camera. Mahi never thought of becoming an actress, but acting came by chance to her. Mahi is also a trained dancer and is into dancing since childhood. Her mother couldn’t venture into films because of circumstances. But she feels proud and happy about her daughter’s decision of becoming an actress.

There’s an unwritten rule in Bollywood that if an actor doesn’t keep rediscovering oneself, he/she will fizzle out like a shooting star. Mahi Gill, who played a Paro with voracious sexual appetite in her first Hindi film Dev. D and followed it up with a small role and a mujra song in Gulaal , is now eager to reinvent herself.

“If I don’t change it (image), I will keep getting the same roles of a girl-next-door in salwar kameez,”
the Punjabi kudi told a news channel.

So how far is Mahi willing to go?

“I can wear shorts, mini skirts, T-shirts and tops. I wear them usually,”
Mahi said.

And what about bikinis?

“No, I don’t think I would be comfortable in bikinis,”
said Mahi, who still likes to think of herself as a very desi girl.

Mahie Gill dances through the pain for 'Gulaal' mujra number

Dancing for the mujra track "Ranaji" in Anurag Kashyap's "Gulaal" was a pain for Mahie Gill. Literally! She was in severe pain due to a back injury, but she still shot for the song with a smile on her face and wrapped up the shoot in eight hours flat. "I had hurt my back but by that time the sets were in place, all my co-stars ready and a director who was just so enthusiastic about calling 'action'. I couldn't have backed out at the last minute. So when some people say that they found me quite happy during the song's shoot, I just respond with the smile because the fact is that I was literally crying after every shot," said Mahie who is working with Anurag Kashyap again after "Dev D". This is not all.

“I had hurt my back, but by that time the sets were in place, all my co-stars ready and a director who was just so enthusiastic about calling 'action'. I couldn't have backed out at the last minute...I was literally crying after every shot,” Mahi is quoted by IANS.

Movie career

1. Hawayein (2003) (Punjabi)
2. Khushi Mil Gayee
3. Sirf Panch din
4. Pal Pal dil ke sath
5. Khoya Khoya Chand (2007) .... Starlet at Prem Kumar's house
6. Mitti Wajaan Maardi (2007) (Punjabi)
7. Chakk De Phatte (2008) .... Simran (Punjabi)
8. Dev D(2009) .... Paro
9. Gulaal (2009) .... Madhuri
10. Aage se right (2009)
11. Paan Singh Tomar (2009)