The objections over the use of the title ‘Kaur’ in Sunny Leone’s upcoming show Karenjit Kaur: The Untold Story of Sunny Leone, will not stop its release. According to a spokesperson for Leone, the show will go ahead as planned. It is expected to premiere on a local television channel on July 16.
Earlier this week, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) objected to the use of ‘Kaur’ in the title of the film.
Diljit Singh Bedi, SGPC’s additional secretary and spokesperson, told Times of India that the usage would hurt Sikh sentiments as Sunny did not follow the teachings of the Sikh gurus. “Kaur is a very respectable and exalted name given by Sikh gurus to Sikh women. A person who didn’t follow the teachings of the Gurus should not use the name. This will hurt the sentiments of Sikhs,” he said.
A spokesperson for Leone said that they were closely monitoring the situation, and would engage with the SGPC if the need arose. “But, at this point, we are not considering a change in the title. Karenjit Kaur is who Sunny Leone is. There’s no way anybody can take her name from her. This goes beyond religion. It is about a person,” they said.
The show’s story arc follows Karenjit as a troubled teenager, and then as a young woman who enters the porn industry. Her decision shocks her deeply conservative family and causes the community to ostracise her. It even addresses the many criticisms that have come her way.
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The show’s trailer alludes to the infamous interview where she was asked sexist questions like “You would want to work with Aamir Khan, but Aamir wouldn’t want to work with you. How would this reflect on you?” or “How many people would think in terms of growing up to be a porn-star?”
In the trailer, the interviewer is heard saying that many in India believe that there is not much difference between a prostitute and a porn star, to which Sunny says, “There is one similarity – that is guts.”