By Subhash K. Jha
Mumbai, April 2 (IANS): Indo-Canadian adult star Sunny Leone is in seventh heaven. Her new film "Ragini MMS 2" opened to a positive response that left her bewildered and stunned.
"To be quite honest, I didn't expect this kind of a response. 'Ragini MMS 2' has gone beyond all our expectations. That feels good. I feel I've been accepted by audiences. It'd a nice feeling," Sunny said before leaving for the US to be with her family.
"Ragini MMS 2", an Ekta Kapoor's production ventured helmed by Bhushan Patel, came out March 21 and earned Rs.45.88 core in two weeks at the Indian box office.
In 2013, Sunny entered Indian showbiz with controversial reality show "Bigg Boss 5" and graduated to film roles with erotic thriller "Jism 2".
However, her entry was not taken lightly by the moral police who reportedly campaigning against her presence in Bollywood, but she is not overly perturbed or hurt by the attack by the moral police.
"Hurt would be a strong words. But yes, I am surprised by how vehement the naysayers are in their opposition. I have nothing against them. But I want them to know I am working hard to make a career, just like everyone else in every profession. And 'Ragini...' is the answer to all those who thought I could do only one thing."
The "one thing" is a sportingly self-deprecatory reference to her past history as a adult-content star that Sunny is not denying.
"Everyone has a past. We all grow from one level to another. I don't understand why it is so difficult for some people to accept that I've made a natural progression from one phase in my life to another.
"Now I'm working very hard on my career as a Bollywood actress, though I am a long way from getting a hang of it. I only wish some elements would be more open-minded about my intentions."
Sunny's next level is her language.
She said: "Did I sound like I had dubbed for myself in 'Ragini MMS 2'? Congratulate the girl who dubbed for me. She made a very honest effort to sound like me.
"I did want to dub my own lines in 'Ragini...', but there were too many things happening at the same time. We all took a call that it was best to let it go and to let someone more skilled with the Hindi handle my lines."
She promises to dub in her own voice in her next film.
"In Deepak Tijori's 'Tina & Lolo', you will hear me speak in my own voice. I promise you my Hindi would be acceptable. It is very important for me to keep growing. I am constantly working towards improving myself. The effort shows in 'Ragini MMS 2', I think," she said.
However, the actress is comfortable in the Bollywood environment.
"Mumbai and Bollywood are my new home. I have my own residence, my own car and my own staff in Mumbai. Now when I go to the US, I don't feel I am going 'home'. It's like I'm going for a holiday and I'll be back home in no time at all."
"I feel we need to celebrate a success of this magnitude. How to celebrate, I'll decide when I am back from the US. But I have to confess I am not much of a party goer. You will hardly ever find me at parties in Bollywood. So far I've been too busy working on improving myself to bother with interacting with people. Maybe after my Hindi I will work on improving my social skills," she said.