Karenjit Kaur: The Untold Story of Sunny Leone

The Sunny Leone biopic begins quite dramatically. We see a nervous Sunny — she is still Karenjit Kaur, the daughter of a conservative Sikh family settled in Canada – looking into the mirror. Her hesitation is palpable, so is her resolve. She is on the sets for a lingerie ad, the first project which demands that she shed her clothes and inhibitions in front of strangers. She does both with professionalism that will become something of her USP in years to come.And then, Karenjit Kaur: The Untold Story of Sunny Leone takes us to 1994 and a gurudwara where we see a young Karenjit singing gurbani. Such paradoxes are the highlight of this Zee 5 web series that presents Sunny’s story with dramatic flourishes, but with a refreshing honesty.The emphasis obviously is on the girl raised in a conservative Indian household deciding to become an adult star and then finding her feet in Bollywood. The career arc is surprising, the story even more so.We encounter a brave and bold Sunny Leone who is naive but ambitious like any young school girl from a middle class family.Karenjit Kaur: The Untold Story of Sunny Leone Season 1-3 Download

She is prepared to walk a dog and sell lemonade so that she can wear a $60 gown for a school dance – a dress her mother never wants to see her in.The show has a non-linear narrative and it jumps to the infamous interview of Sunny Leone by Bhupendra Chaubey. Bhupendra – rechristened Anup Choubey in the series – and his questions bring home the sexism and misogyny that Sunny had to brave during her career. Her answers again underline her confidence and grace.The first three episodes of Sunny Leone biopic presents intricate details of Sunny’s life, some of which we know and others that truly come as a surprise. The portrayal is quite vivid, though bordering on melodrama that gives it the feel of a daily Hindi soap. The actors, nonetheless, play it subtly.The talking points in the biopic are quite brave – from a materialistic father to an alcoholic mother. The fact that Sunny has been closely involved with the show makes us respect her more. It takes a hero to admit the kinds of struggles portrayed in Karenjit Kaur. No surprises then that we are looking forward to seven more episodes.