"I'm looking for her to tap into her loneliness, into her struggles, into her anguish."
Mahesh Bhatt, Bollywood film director, producer and screenwriter seems to have found the ideal heroine for the new Jism 2 film, in the Bigg Boss 5 house (India’s television show equivalent to the UK’s Big Brother). Bhatt enters the Bigg Boss 5 house on Wednesday 30th November 2011, to potentially offer the role to Sunny Leone, an Indo-Canadian porn star.
Sunny entered the Bigg Boss 5 house in a traditional Indian costume. Contrary to her image, the 30-year-old, who was born as Karen Malhotra, wore a heavily embroidered lehanga-choli and accessorised it with mang tika. She made her entry into the house carried by eight men in a doli. She also chose to dance on an Indian track ‘Chaliya Chaliya’ from the movie Tashan after stepping out from doli.
Leone, well known for her porn star status has not revealed her real identity to the other house mates. As far as they know, she is an actress and model from Hollywood. However, as part of Bhatt’s visit to the house, its reported that he will also reveal to them that Sunny is a porn star.
Jism 2 will be the sequel to Jism released in 2003 which starred John Abraham and Bipasha Basu. A ground-breaking hit for Bhatt, the movie featured steamy scenes between Basu and Abraham, for whom it was his debut Bollywood film. Directed by Amit Saxena, Jism ranked 92 in the top 100 sexiest movie scenes poll conducted by Channel 4.
Mahesh Bhatt and his brother Mukesh Bhatt have been looking for the heroine for Jism 2 for some time now. Bhatt verified that sexy Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat and Bipasha Basu were both in the frame for the role but talks broke down due to their fee demands. Hence, now Sunny Leone is in pole position for the role.
Whilst in the Bigg Boss 5 house for a few hours, Bhatt will review if Leone has the ability and prowess he is looking for in her to play the role before he finally signs her for the film.
Bhatt said (in Hindi): “I am going into the house to see if Sunny has the right capabilities and qualities to play the role of the lead heroine in Jism 2. We will then after assess and meet to discuss if her demands are acceptable to us and vice-versa. Only after all that is the plan to start the long journey with her to make the actual film.”
Talking about Sunny as a potential star for the film Mahesh said (in Hindi): “She is very attractive and she has a sweet persona. However, being a porn star she has encountered her own challenges in life and we want to see if her inner strength wants to surface to show her real abilities as an actress. Until then, we will not see what is possible in the film.”
Therefore, Bhatt really wants to determine by meeting and assessing Leone in the house that there is more to Sunny Leone than just the porn star image which he feels will disappear quickly and be replaced by what real talent she can show as an actress in a 2 hour film. He wants to see the real Sunny Leone and not the Sunny Leone depicted by her porn star image.
“I don’t think I am looking for the sex component in this film only. That is a given. When you take a porn star that minimum erotica has to be here in Jism 2.”
He added, “But what I am looking for is the depth. I’m looking for her to tap into her loneliness, into her struggles, into her anguish. And that is what is going to make her very attractive for this particular role.”
Pooja Bhatt, Mahesh Bhatt’s daughter, will be the director of Jism 2 and she has been looking out for the right person to fulfil the female role too. Talking of their views on lead role, Bhatt said: “Pooja wants a star who is vibrant and sensuous. I want an actress who not only has the physical attributes but also the emotional edge to carry off the complex role.”
Sunny has made it clear she is in the Bigg Boss 5 house for an image makeover. She has tried to ensure that the housemates know her as a person first and therefore has kept her porn star identity shtum. In one of the episodes of Bigg Boss 5 Sunny said: “I don’t want people to judge me by my profession.”
So, let’s see if Sunny Leone will have what it takes to be selected by Bhatt for his new heroine in Jism 2.
For those of you not familiar with Sunny Leone, we have compiled a gallery of some of her photos to enlighten you.
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