Her image has continued to evolve, and her recent work has garnered critical praise. She received significant acclaim for her lead role in Anurag Kashyap's crime thriller Kennedy (2023), which was selected for the Cannes Film Festival's midnight section. Since quitting the adult film industry in 2013, she has appeared in about 30 Indian movies.

Beyond entertainment, Sunny Leone has built a strong brand as an entrepreneur, contributing to her popularity in mainstream media as a businesswoman.