Sunny Boy is an intimate portrayal of a gay Indian man in his late thirties. Born and raised in Malaysia, Kumar Muniandy moved to the UK in 2003. He takes us through his journey from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to London, reflecting on his family, his cultural heritage, what it means to be a man and gay in his homeland, and what it now means to be brown and gay in London.

Kumar comes from a working class Tamil Hindu family. As a young boy growing up gay in a repressive society meant his childhood was complicated. He was bullied at school for being feminine and his first sexual encounter was with a paedophile. He has never come out to his parents and as a teenager he lived a clandestine gay life in KL. In search of sexual freedom and a desire to pursue an acting career, Kumar moved to London. The city offered him that freedom and good friends but that came with its own price as he tells us of the racism he experienced on a daily basis.

He discusses toxic masculinity, his own insecurities and the lack of intimacy that he finds in the gay scene, going to saunas and using dating apps for sex. We hear about his successes in explicit detail and the problems he encounters as an Indian man on the scene where attractiveness is dictated by white standards of beauty.

This documentary is ultimately a reflection on masculinity, sexuality, race, Tamil culture, faith, and importantly, how all these multiple identities intersect.

Credits

  • Sara Moralo Director
  • Sara Moralo Writer
  • Kumar Muniandy Writer
  • Sara Moralo Producer
  • Kumar Muniandy Producer
  • Kumar Muniandy Key Cast “Kumar Muniandy”

Specifications

  • Project Type: Documentary, Experimental, Feature
  • Runtime: 42 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date: July 31, 2019
  • Production Budget: 3,600 GBP
  • Country of Origin: United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming: United Kingdom
  • Language: English, Tamil
  • Shooting Format: DSLR H.264
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Film Color: Color
  • First-time Filmmaker

Screenings / Awards

  • Reel Desires International Queer Film Festival Chennai
    India
    August 2, 2019
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • New Filmmakers New York New York
    United States
    August 7, 2019
    American Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Berlin Porn Film Festival Berlin
    Germany
    October 23, 2019
    European Premiere
    Official Selection
  • International Queer And Migrant Film Festival Amsterdam
    Netherlands
    December 6, 2019
    Netherlands Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Porn Film Festival Vienna Vienna
    Austria
    October 3, 2020
    Austrian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • The QTPOC Pride Arts + Film Fest Oakland
    United States
    May 30, 2020
    West Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • AAB International Film Festival Moga (Punjab)
    India
    August 7, 2020
    Punjab Premiere
    Best Documentary Nomination
  • STIFF Seattle True Independent Film Festival Seattle
    United States
    October 3, 2020
    Washington State Premiere
    Official Selection

News & Reviews