Mahesh Bhatt enters the "Bigg Boss 5" house Monday and says he has decided to offer porn star Sunny Leone, who is also participating in the reality show, the lead role in his movie " Jism 2".
"I am not casting her for her body, but I see that loneliness and heartbroken soul that is behind that smile. The entertainment business itself is not a cakewalk, so the porn business would have been a really tough ride for her," Bhatt told IANS on phone from Mumbai.
"I love casting people who are real. People who have gone through highs and lows to reach a stature where people look up to them for their hard work. Sunny is being shown in a bright light with an exotic image on television, but I sensed that she must have gone through a lot to earn a name in an industry which people don't appreciate," added the 61-year-old.
"Jism" released in 2003 was an unexpected box office success and made debutants John Abraham and Bipasha Basu known names in the film industry.
Born to a Punjabi family in Ontario, Sunny has appeared in various reality shows in the US, and was named among the world's top 12 porn stars by fashion magazine Maxim in 2010.
Bhatt feels Sunny Leone has an emotional 'edge' which could work wonders for "Jism 2" and if she agrees, she might be shooting in Delhi.
"Because of its beauty and exotic appeal, Delhi has been my preferred location. And Pooja (Bhatt, his daughter) also prefers Delhi, which is why we've decided to shoot a few portions of "Jism 2" here," says Bhatt. However, the film won't have DU characters. "The female protagonist will not be a DU student, but a small town girl. So if Sunny accepts the offer, she'll be playing a girl from Himachal, maybe Shimla or Nainital, who shifts to Delhi. The movie is about how she survives in that world and gets into the most bizarre zones. It'll be shot in the city's discotheques, and we'll capture its fast life and the drug scene here. The movie will essentially focus on how the character lives on the edge," he says.
Is he apprehensive about negative reactions from the audience about casting a porn star? "Those who give business to the sex industry also condemn it. The people who ridicule a porn star would not be brave enough to admit that they themselves have an insatiable appetite for porn. Otherwise, how can it become a hundred billion dollar industry? I was 11 or 12 when I learnt about the female anatomy through dirty pictures that made their way to school. But today, kids are introduced to porn much earlier; we know what parents got through," he says, adding, "We are living in the age of test tube babies, wombs on rent and sperm donation. I think the idea of looking down upon a porn star is passe; it needs to be junked into the dustbin of history. The truth is that people watch Sunny every day on a TV show and she is a part of our household now."
And why is he considering Sunny? "Bold entertainers have always caught my imagination because I feel that life is not what it appears to be for them. The struggle they go through is what made me choose Sunny. Beyond the glamour of the porn star, there is her dark, painful journey - that's what I want to explore, provided Sunny allows me to. But the movie will not be her autobiography. Sunny is of Indian origin and looks decent to me, but there is a residue of the struggle which is also visible, and that is true for every entertainer, not just a porn star. If she has shed her clothes and entertained people through porn movies, she has also shed her inhibitions. But to shed your clothes is one thing, and to allow people to access your inner being is something else."
"'Jism 2' narrates the story of a woman who transcends from the 'body' to the 'soul'. I wanted to approach an actress who not only has the physical attributes but also the emotional 'edge' to carry off the complexity of the role.
"I see Sunny as a perfect fit for the film and the script. Had approached Bipasha Basu and Mallika Sherawat for the role earlier, but things didn't work out," he added.
What made Bhatt choose Colors reality show "Bigg Boss 5" as a platform to announce the film.
"Announcing a film is as important as any other aspect of filmmaking, whether it be releasing it or promoting it. 'Bigg Boss' is a great platform to reach a wide audience. And we thought it was the right time to approach her," he said.
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