Stills: Sultry Paoli in Hate Story

Bengali actress Paoli Dam is making her Bollywood debut in the erotic thriller Hate Story produced by Vikram Bhatt. Paoli plays a woman who uses sexuality as her weapon in this tale of vengeance

Paoli made her acting debut with Bengali film Agnipariksha in 2006 and shot into the limelight in 2009 when she won accolades for director Gautam Ghose's Kaalbela.

Paoli says about Hate Story: "It's a multi-dimensional character. You get so many layers to perform in one character. It was a lucrative deal for me. I feel getting a women-centric film as your launch vehicle is a big thing. Moreover, the film has got good song and dance sequences to show my versatility."

The Bengali beauty has no qualms about being typecast as a sex symbol and says, “As an actor, I feel boldness is just a mindset. It's not just about wearing less clothes and showing your bare back on-screen. I am not the first one to do that. There are many actresses who did it before. I don't think it will typecast me because I can't repeat myself. I am an actress and it's my job to bring out something new every time."

In 2011, Paoli walked the Cannes red carpet as the lead actress of Sri Lankan filmmaker Vimukthi Jayasundara's Chhatrak. The Bengali language film was officially selected to be screened in the Directors' Fortnight section at the festival.

Paoli also shared screen space with Bipasha Basu in Shob Charitro Kalponik, a Bengali film directed by Rituparno Ghosh.

Actor Gulshan Devaiah, best known for Shaitan, will once again be seen playing a negative role in Hate Story. He says "I want to explore as many grey shades as I can. It's good to be a bad guy. You can do some crazy things and get away with it".

Actor Nikhil Dwivedi, who is starring opposite Paoli Dam in the film, says he has no problem with the debutant actress getting all the attention in the film. "I did three films so far and I have shared screen space with actors like Mithun Chakraborty, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in them. I never felt I was getting overshadowed. Similarly, I don`t have any such fear in this film. I was honest and gave my hundred per cent to the character. I am a hard-worker. I am satisfied with the way my character has shaped up in the film," Dwivedi said.

Producer Vikram Bhatt is all praises for Paoli: "A big shout to Paoli Dam. The fabulous actor of the upcoming Hate Story. She makes the bold seem regular," he tweeted.

Director Vivek Agnihotri has defended the bold subject of the movie, saying "We are not using sex as a marketing tool for this film. We have made an erotic thriller and we are marketing it as an erotic film. Why should we market our film as something else? Like I have not made a musical film and I am saying that it is a war film."

Director Vivek Agnihotri has defended the bold subject of the movie, saying "We are not using sex as a marketing tool for this film. We have made an erotic thriller and we are marketing it as an erotic film. Why should we market our film as something else? Like I have not made a musical film and I am saying that it is a war film."

Actress Paoli Dam with director Vivek Agnihotri on the sets of the movie.