LOS ANGELES - Vivid contract girl Sunny Leone has signed on to star in the Bollywood movie Pirates Blood, from Siba Art Production and Distribution.
An English-language thriller, Pirates Blood begins shooting in mid-February in Oman, and will also star veteran Bollywood actor Salim Bahwan. Cinematography will be overseen by noted South Indian lensman Ramachhandran Babuk.
Leone is represented by LA Direct Models, whose owner, Derek Hay, said, "We are delighted that Sunny will have this mainstream breakthrough. She has already been described by the Arabic press as 'Indian-America's Marilyn Monroe.' She is beautiful, talented and a brilliant choice for this movie, as her appearance will appeal to both her Indian and American fans."
Those fans are also sure to clamor for Sunny Loves Matt, the Vivid release featuring her first boy/girl performance, streeting Mar. 5.
"Sunny's popularity has soared since she joined Vivid," said studio co-chairman Steven Hirsch. "She has an enormous fan base that is already pre-ordering Sunny Loves Matt, and we believe that as the first adult star to go Bollywood, she is marking another milestone in movie history."
Bollywood has attracted increasing attention from the American film world in recent years. Major Hollywood figures including Michael Douglas, Sylvester Stallone, Cameron Diaz, Peter Weir and Will Smith have actively pursued film projects to be shot in India, with top Indian stars, according to Entertainment Weekly.
"The increasing popularity of Indian cinema has been referred to by the press as 'Bollywood Mania,'" said Hirsch. "It is driving moviemakers to be more innovative, and casting Sunny as the female lead in Pirates Blood is a step in that direction."
For more on Sunny Leone, visit www.sunnyleone.com.
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