- Paoli Dam portrayed Pisima in Amazon Prime's The Revolutionaries based on Nanibala Devi
- Paoli Dam had no second thoughts about debuting in the controversial 2012 film Hate Story
- Hate Story was commercially successful and considered ahead of its time by Paoli Dam
Popular Bengali actor Paoli Dam has been making headlines for her brilliant portrayal of Pisima, based on the real-life Bengali revolutionary Nanibala Devi, in Nikkhil Advani's Amazon Prime original The Revolutionaries. In an exclusive chat with NDTV, the actor looks back and shares whether she had a second thought about choosing the controversial Hate Story (2012) as her Hindi debut.
Directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Vikram Bhatt, Paoli Dam plays Kavya Krishna in the erotic thriller, triggering a raging conversation back in the day.
Asked if she had a second thought about choosing the film, Paoli tells us, "There was no second thought. Hate Story was ahead of its time.
"It's a very hit franchise. That's why sequels were made. From a commercial perspective, it's a huge success. And Mumbai is all about commercial success. My journey in Bengal didn't begin as a mainstream actor. I am not an actor of mainstream Bengali cinema. I am a product of alternative cinema in Bengal. But I wanted to do all kinds of cinema. I don't judge films as good or bad. It's all about how a story is being told. It can be on the face. Though I like a little subtlety which touches the hearts unknowingly. Those stories intrigue me more," Paoli adds.
From Hate Story to Bulbbul (Netflix film) to The Revolutionaries - Paoli Dam has come a long way. And credit goes to her hard work and dedication.
"I don't carry second thoughts or regrets. I carry stories with me. And each film or series of mine is different from the other. I don't know, had I not done Hate Story, I wouldn't have started in Mumbai. My journey took me to Mumbai - the city of dreams. Then why not dream?" Paoli tells us.
About Hate Story
The 2012 erotic thriller stars Nikhil Dwivedi, Gulshan Devaiah and Paoli Dam in the lead roles. It was released on April 20, 2012.
The first instalment in the Hate Story film series was a commercial and critical success. The film revolves around a woman and her struggle to fight against the man who betrayed her.
About The Revolutionaries
In the series, Bhuvan Bam plays Rash Behari Bose, Rohit Saraf as Sachindranath Sanyal, Pratibha Ranta as Pratibha Lahiri, and Gurfateh Pirzada as Bagha Jatin. Opened to mixed reviews, the series faced major criticism for not casting any Bengali actor in the lead roles.
The Revolutionaries streams on Amazon Prime from September 11. The series is based on the non-fiction book Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom by Sanjeev Sanyal.