Sunny Leone poses for portrait photographs for the film 'Kennedy,' at the 76th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, on Tuesday. AP

Once one of the top adult film stars in the United States, Leone was on India's version of the reality television show "Big Brother" before she moved into film, a background that led to perceptions of her that she has had to fight against.

"At the end of the day, you're human and it's not a great feeling. But I understand their point of view as well. I come with a certain amount of baggage and it's hard to change people's perceptions," she said in an interview with Reuters.

Sunny Leone poses before an interview with Reuters.

"That's why 'Kennedy' means so much. And that's why — sorry, this is where I cry — and that's why having this film accepted here (at Cannes) is one of the most amazing things," said Leone.

"It's like, you can't say anything bad about this. You can't take this one away from me," the Canadian-born actor said.

"Kennedy," directed by Anurag Kashyap, follows a former police officer, played by Rahul Bhat, who is thought to be long dead while still operating for the corrupt system.

Kashyap, one of Bollywood's most influential filmmakers, has presented films at Cannes before in special screenings, including 2012's "Gangs of Wasseypur" and "Ugly" in 2013.

Reuters