I had to work hard to be seen as a legitimate entertainer, says Sunny
Sunny Leone has had a controversial debut in the film industry – first because of her past as a Canadian adult film star, and then her Bollywood debut with the erotic thriller, Jism 2 (2012), directed by Pooja Bhatt. But Sunny says she didn’t pay heed to all the criticism that came her way and kept moving on and upping her game. However, the actor did admit on a lot of occasions that she was treated differently in the industry because of her roots. “Newcomers like me have to push ourselves slightly more to get acknowledged by film-makers and audiences. So, it’s really hard. I personally have had to fight hard on many fronts to make sure people look at me as a legitimate entertainer,” says
Newcomers like me have to push ourselves slightly more to get acknowledged by film-makers and audiences. SUNNY LEONE, ACTOR
Sunny. Ask her if the industry has become more welcoming in the five years that she’s been here, and the actor says, “These five years have been full of ups and downs. But I’d say there have been more amazing things that have happened than bad things. Overall, everything that I went through has been a learning experience.”
Sunny’s tryst with the Indian entertainment industry began when she came to India in 2011 as a wild card entrant on reality show Bigg Boss 5 in 2011. Initially, she was considered a complete outsider in the film industry. However, the actor says it’s tough for everyone to make a mark and star kids, who are often accused of nepotism, don’t have it easy either. “They (star kids) also have to work harder so as to separate themselves from their family’s lineage and name, and establish their own identities.”
Sunny says she feels she has been lucky, despite being an outsider. “I am very blessed and have a great team behind me. We have been fortunate enough to get good work and things are only growing larger as each month passes,” she says.