Exclusive | Sunny Leone interview: ‘People expect my movies to be sexy, sensual… maybe I’m typecasting myself’

Karenjit Kaur Vohra, aka Sunny Leone, scripted a new chapter in her career with her entry in Bigg Boss back in 2011. An adult actor, her transition in Hindi cinema has not been without hiccups but she took the naysayers in her stride. Her graceful response to prejudice managed to charm people, as the industry appreciated her grit, passion and the willingness to work hard.
In this interview with the 40-year-old actor opens up about her journey, why she ends up typecasting herself in sexual roles and more.
Excerpts from the interview:
After your biopic Karenjit Kaur – The Untold Story of Sunny Leone, Anamika is your second web series.
Every second and every day I spent on Anamika set made me so happy because action is something that I genuinely love doing. It is like my alter ego. I would never get into a fight in my real life, so it was so much fun learning how to do all these different things.
The fact that it is called Anamika makes me so happy. I learnt so much from Vikram sir. Whether it was the acting or the action, how he nurtured me and my character is something I have never experienced before. It is very emotional for me as someone has put all their effort and trust in me. It is not always that I land up getting good projects.

Right before Covid-19 pandemic, I had signed Anamika, and a couple of other projects too. These are quite different from what people regularly see me in. While it has taken some time for this show to complete, I am excited to see how people will react because this is not something they are expecting. Maybe that’s me typecasting myself (chuckles), or maybe it is not something they see me doing, let’s just say that!
Why would you say that? What do you mean when you say you typecast yourself?
People expect me to play a glamorous character, and there is some sort of sexuality or sensuality involved. I have no problem playing that if that’s what the role demands. But there are still lots of people who come to us saying, ‘it is Sunny, we have to show this or that (something sexual)’, and it doesn’t bother me. Contrary to what is expected from me, this is a character which is well balanced, there is love, there are moments which are intimate, but it is not something that goes in the zone that people expect from me. Intimacy can be defined in so many ways.
So how does it feel when you do different things from what you think people expect from you?
First of all, I love my fans, they have accepted me wholeheartedly. I think someone who watches you from your first or second film, they are on your journey along with you. And I think I am growing and evolving, and so are they. They are watching you, accepting you as you evolve with passing time. I think each film should be different, why should one do similar kind of stuff over and over again? Sometimes, people will like what you do, sometimes they won’t, but as an actor, I want to keep doing different things and prove what I’ve got. Your one project doesn’t define you; you should keep working, try different things.

What has been a turning point in your life and career since the time you came to India?
I am not sure if I can pinpoint one thing, I think things happen in a tandem for them to work out at that given time. Laila (the special number in Raees) was an amazing moment, where I got to work with Shah Rukh Khan. That really bad interview was a defining moment for me as well. So many things changed for the better even if the moment itself was horrible. The biopic that I shot was also an interesting moment in my life because people saw my story from my point of view.

How do you feel about the journey you’ve had, since the time you started out, the negativity that followed, to now when you have a loyal fan base?
Daniel (Sunny’s husband) and I call it the ‘from where to where’ journey. From that moment of got on the plane to explore work opportunities in India to actually buying a house in Mumbai. I never thought I’d be able to buy a house here, but I did. I adopted a little girl here, and I am raising twin boys here. My heart is full. I have a make-up line, a clothing line, this beautiful office, it has been a journey of working towards making dreams come true. A lot of crazy bad things happened along the way, but that’s what makes you a stronger person. So, through all the crazy and the bad, and the wacko, today, I am living in a great moment. We have to live life like that, not worry about the bad things that happened. Focus on all the good.