Wasn’t Judgmental: Chaubey Defends His Sunny Leone Interview

CNN-IBN journalist Bhupendra Chaubey defends his line of questioning Sunny Leone on his show

After being literally lynched on social media for his rather “rude” and “misogynistic” line of questioning Sunny Leone, CNN-IBN journalist Bhupendra Chaubey posted a defense of his interview with the former adult actress in his blog.

He began his blog by explaining why it was necessary to repeatedly bring in Leone’s ‘past’ in his questions:

We aren’t really going to the cinemas to watch her because she is a star. And I might just add here that I haven’t seen any of her Bollywood films. Because I have kids at my place, so I can’t watch any of her films in her earlier avatar even if I wanted to. Sunny Leone is a newsmaker in her own right because of what was going on in her past, the circumstances she operates in today and the manner in which she deals with criticism which is bound to come her way.

Bhupendra Chaubey (on his blog)

Chaubey candidly admits that half-way through the interview, Leone felt that she was being interrogated.

She did tell me half way through the interview, that she felt it was like an interrogation. She did concede that if she knew the format, she would have been better prepared. But ever since the first airing of the interview, I am only seeing positive feedback for her. So Sunny, you did well! It doesn’t matter that I was convinced at the end of the interview that you were an extremely brave woman to have dealt with your past in the manner in which you did. It’s the viewer that counts. Whether its you or me.

Bhupendra Chaubey (on his blog)

Chaubey also stated that he wasn’t being judgmental at all about Leone’s past.

I simply did the job of asking questions, yes which were perhaps moral in nature. But isn’t that also the story? I did mention this multiple times in course of the interview that Indians were a bunch of hyper hypocritical people. I am not writing this blog to respond to the critics. But I thought its important to place the facts correctly. In the right context.

Bhupendra Chaubey (on his blog)

Either way, as Bhupendra himself concedes, Sunny, you did well!