Ram Gopal Varma recalls Sunny Leone’s ‘dignified’ response to a bad experience, on working with Mia Malkova: ‘People assume excess’

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has opened up about his views on adult film stars, recalling his interactions with actors like Sunny Leone and Mia Malkova, while pushing back against stereotypes surrounding their profession.In a recent conversation with Dostcast, RGV said that while he doesn’t generalise, his personal experiences with some adult film stars have left him impressed with their “grace” and “dignity”.The filmmaker shared an anecdote about Sunny Leone, revealing that he once tried to provoke her into criticising a producer she allegedly had a bad experience with.“I remember once when I was talking to Sunny Leone, I heard that she had a bad experience with a certain producer. So I tried to instigate her to say something witchy about that producer,” he said.However, Sunny chose to respond with restraint. “She just said, ‘I would rather say it wasn’t a pleasant experience.’ I never heard a more dignified answer than that,” Varma added.Varma went on to stress that he does not believe in judging people for their life choices or profession.“I’m against being judgmental about what kind of a lifestyle one wants to have,” he said, adding that people often carry preconceived notions about adult film actors that don’t necessarily reflect reality.Sharing his experience of working with Mia Malkova, Varma described her as someone who completely defies common stereotypes associated with the industry.“When I was working with Mia Malkova, I had never seen a more disciplined person than her. She sleeps at 9 pm, doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t take dope, and reads books all the time,” he said.He pointed out that this lifestyle is “the exact opposite” of what many assume about adult film stars, who are often perceived as being consumed by excess. Varma also spoke about the distinction between prostitution and performing in adult films, suggesting that the latter requires a unique level of mental resilience.“A prostitute is still doing something in the dark — nobody knows her. But to do it openly in front of the camera for the world to see requires a very different kind of strength of mind,” he explained. The filmmaker also addressed why he mentioned and dedicated his book Guns and Thighs to adult film star Tori Black.“At that time, she was among the top names and was in my mind. That’s pretty much the reason,” he said, adding that the book was written over a decade ago.