"I wanted to be a part of a company as a brand face, but I was considered too much of a risk for many companies despite my reach, following, and brand analytics being greater than most. So, I started it on my own! DONE!" says Sunny Leone in an email interview with CNBC-TV18.
The brand she's talking about is Starstruck, which, according to the actress, who has over 55.2 million followers on Instagram, has crossed ₹10 crore in annual revenue.
Canada-born Karenjit Kaur Vohra, who goes by the stage name Sunny Leone, started a cosmetics brand, Starstruck, in 2018 with an initial investment of ₹10 lakh.
In 2019, she ventured into innerwear with her husband, Daniel Webber, with 'Infamous by Starstruck'.
Today, Starstruck has over 260 distinct products, called stock keeping units (SKUs) in retail, which the company claims are 'cruelty-free'.
The 42-year-old Leone describes her journey as slow and steady, with many ups and downs and tons of learning. "There is not a thing easy about owning and operating your own company. No shortcuts," she adds.
Over the years, she has diversified her investments across various successful enterprises. Sunny Leone's net worth is in excess of ₹100 crore, she says.
Her perfume line, Affetto Fragrances, is sold in over 500 outlets across India. "Simple, I love colour cosmetics, and the category is huge," Leone says.
In 2021, she invested in PETA-approved athleisure brand I Am Animal.
She invested in a wellness brand called Rize Bars and, in February this year, started a restaurant called Chica Loca in Noida.
In January 2024, Sunny became the first Indian actress to launch her artificial intelligence (AI) avatar.
Meanwhile, she continues to march on as an actor with her next film, Kennedy, written and directed by Anurag Kashyap. It is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 24.
She is all set to debut in Tamil cinema with 'Quotation Gang' starring alongside Jackie Shroff and Priyamani.
She will also be a judge in 'Glam Fame', a reality show. Currently, Sunny Leone is the host of the latest season of Splitsvilla.
"To all entrepreneurs", Sunny advises, "work hard, hustle non-stop, and don't let your guard down. It just takes time… Nothing happens overnight. It's the work of a thousand different things that makes the brand successful."
The brand she's talking about is Starstruck, which, according to the actress, who has over 55.2 million followers on Instagram, has crossed ₹10 crore in annual revenue.
Canada-born Karenjit Kaur Vohra, who goes by the stage name Sunny Leone, started a cosmetics brand, Starstruck, in 2018 with an initial investment of ₹10 lakh.
In 2019, she ventured into innerwear with her husband, Daniel Webber, with 'Infamous by Starstruck'.
Today, Starstruck has over 260 distinct products, called stock keeping units (SKUs) in retail, which the company claims are 'cruelty-free'.
The 42-year-old Leone describes her journey as slow and steady, with many ups and downs and tons of learning. "There is not a thing easy about owning and operating your own company. No shortcuts," she adds.
Over the years, she has diversified her investments across various successful enterprises. Sunny Leone's net worth is in excess of ₹100 crore, she says.
Her perfume line, Affetto Fragrances, is sold in over 500 outlets across India. "Simple, I love colour cosmetics, and the category is huge," Leone says.
In 2021, she invested in PETA-approved athleisure brand I Am Animal.
She invested in a wellness brand called Rize Bars and, in February this year, started a restaurant called Chica Loca in Noida.
In January 2024, Sunny became the first Indian actress to launch her artificial intelligence (AI) avatar.
Meanwhile, she continues to march on as an actor with her next film, Kennedy, written and directed by Anurag Kashyap. It is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 24.
She is all set to debut in Tamil cinema with 'Quotation Gang' starring alongside Jackie Shroff and Priyamani.
She will also be a judge in 'Glam Fame', a reality show. Currently, Sunny Leone is the host of the latest season of Splitsvilla.
"To all entrepreneurs", Sunny advises, "work hard, hustle non-stop, and don't let your guard down. It just takes time… Nothing happens overnight. It's the work of a thousand different things that makes the brand successful."
First Published: Apr 21, 2024 6:50 PM IST
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