"It was very easy to say yes": Sunny Leone, Rahul Bhatt reveal Anurag Kashyap's unconventional filmmaking process in 'Kennedy'

That ethos shaped Kennedy, the director's night-soaked thriller, as actors Sunny Leone and Rahul Bhatt revealed in an interview with ANI, about the film's unique journey from concept to international applause.

Sunny Leone recalled the first call from Kashyap and said, "He called me and said that I should come for the audition, and that he wants me for this role of Charlie. And of course, I said yes."

Leone said the audition "went well," and added, "Main Anurag sir ke saath kaam karna chahti thi... it was very easy to say yes."

Yet working on the film was far from conventional. Leone revealed, "I didn't get the full script; I only got my scenes. I kept asking every day, 'please give me the full script,' and he said no, I wouldn't get it. So I only had my own scenes."

She learned the full story only later, discovering how integral her character was to the narrative.

Rahul Bhatt's preparation for the film was even more extreme. He recounted, "He once called me to his room and told me about a cop story, to which I said, 'This is amazing, mind-blowing,' but he didn't say anything or give any hint that maybe he wanted to make this story."

"At first he said, go and lose some weight, you should look like a ghost... I did it... and after sometime he [Anurag Kashyap] said, now go and bulk yourself. I was like... Have you gone mad? I did so much of hardwork for losing the weight, and now you are asking me to bulk...," Rahul Bhatt said.

He further revealed undergoing dramatic physical transformations for his role and said, "So after 2 months, I hadn't heard from him... I didn't know what was going on... So one night, around 12, I sent him a photo of mine... He immediately called me within 2 seconds and said, 'This is my Kennedy."

He gained 25 kilograms and meticulously trained for character-specific actions. He later on described that Anurag Kashyap asked him to peel off an apple in one go. "Like he wanted me to peel that apple in one go..."

"... and also smoke a cigarette," he said, adding, "I practiced it for atleast thousand times...Then I became perfect. Now I can cut anything."

Both actors praised Anurag Kashyap's meticulous direction. "The film was shot at 180 locations in Mumbai. Anurag knows the city intimately and uses it almost as a character," Rahul Bhatt revealed.

The film's night shoots, set during the post-Covid period, presented logistical hurdles, from traffic management to mask trials. "We had to try 15-20 different masks to see what worked on screen," Sunny recalled.

On-screen chemistry also stood out for the cast. Sunny said working with Rahul Bhatt was "very good, even though my shoot days were limited. The scenes we did were really well done."

Rahul, in turn, praised Sunny's energy, saying, "I didn't realize she was so serious and dedicated. She brings positivity and curiosity, which lifts everyone's performance."

Both actors highlighted how the film's intricate plot and Kennedy's complex role make the movie stand out.

Sunny described her character as a connective thread in the story, "She notices patterns, connects dots, but isn't playing any games. That makes her special."

The trailer for Anurag Kashyap's directorial 'Kennedy' was released on Sunday, offering a dark and gritty glimpse into the world of its lead character.

The film stars Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone in key roles and is scheduled to stream on Zee5 from February 20, 2026.

The two-minute trailer introduces Rahul Bhat as Uday Shetty, also known as "Kennedy."

In a voiceover, the character says, "My name is Uday Shetty. In the last six years, I have killed so many people that I have lost count."

By day, he works as a taxi driver. By night, he becomes a hired killer for the commissioner. Living a double life, he is always looking over his shoulder.

As the narrative progresses, a chance encounter with Sunny Leone's character alters the course of Kennedy's life, drawing her into his violent world and complicating his quest for redemption.

'Kennedy' is a dark thriller that revolves around an insomniac former police officer who was thought to be dead.

He still works within a corrupt system and secretly searches for a way to fix his wrongs.

The film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in the Midnight Screenings section and later travelled to several international film festivals, including those held in Sydney, Bucheon, Neuchatel, Lisbon, Austin, Melbourne, London, Mumbai, and Kolkata.

The film is produced by Good Bad Films. Along with Rahul Bhat and Sunny Leone, it also stars Mohit Takalkar, Abhilash Thapliyal, and Megha Burman. (ANI)