The trailer has already struck a chord with the viewers. How would you describe your character in Love Aaj Kal Porshu (directed by Pratim D. Gupta)?

My character controls the entire thing. She is the person behind everything that is happening in the lives of these two lovers played by Arjun Chakrabarty and Madhumita. She is a person who orchestrates everything. There’s a mystery around her. She is not what she comes across; she is a game-changer. Kalki Maitra is the backbone of the film. What I liked about the character is that there are two sides to her, the personal and the professional, like all of us. So, when Pratim offered me the role, I kept quiet for a while as I wasn’t initially very sure of the role because it is very out of the box. I haven’t come across such a person or haven’t read about anyone like that or I haven’t seen anybody like that in a film, so I didn’t have any reference point. But then again, since I don’t have a reference point, I wanted to create something which is my own interpretation, with the help of my director.

She may come across as a villain but she is not, she is human. And, we all have the passion and obsession for what we do, whatever profession we are in. She’s an extremely passionate person. She’s not black or white, she is grey, but of course, we all are grey in today’s world. Maybe there are so many Kalkis around but we don’t know the real side of a person. Do we actually know the real side of a person? It’s all very made up in today’s world. If you go to a party or are travelling, people are nice to you, right? But unless you meet that person or you really know the person, you wouldn’t know the real side of him/her.

Paoli Dam in Love Aaj Kal Porshu, which releases on February 14 Still from the film

What do Paoli and Kalki have in common?

She’s a strong woman and she’s passionate. She’s an independent individual and she takes decisions on her own terms. These are the basic things that I could relate to but not the rest. Oh my god, I can’t even imagine! But that’s the beautiful side of the film, making the film what it is.

How does Love Aaj Kal Porshu explore the concept and contours of modern-day love?

It is so modern. The story is such that not everything is in the hands of these two lovers. In today’s time, people have commitment phobia, they hardly fall in love. Everything is so career-oriented, but this film is not that. These two lovebirds are passionately in love with each other. But, also, as seen in the trailer, there are three different names for the girl and the boy. Why so? Are they naturally falling in love or, what’s happening here? Why three different names for the same people? So, that brings up the twists and turns of the film where Kalki plays a very crucial role. This is a film that youngsters and also people who love to watch love stories would enjoy as the concept is very different from a simple love story.

You are working with Pratim once again...

This is my fifth film with Pratim and it is always so nice with Pratim and Subhankar (Bhar, DOP). We’ve done so many films together so the tuning and understanding is very good and Pratim himself is so chilled out. Watch out for the climax as that scene is very close to my heart where she says it all!

I have worked with Arjun before. Both of them (Arjun and Madhumita) are looking so nice and fresh together! I worked for the first time with Madhumita. She’s such a sweet person, it was lovely working with her! During our shoot we had a fun time together and she also introduced me to some varieties of tea because I love tea!

We shot for the film in winter, during November-December. It was all green around, it’s such a beautiful place (Ganga Kutir, Raichak)! In the morning we would all have tea, chat and plan the entire day.

Also, saying that line was quite interesting — ‘everything is fair in love and entertainment’. I love those punchlines and there are a few more!

Everytime, Pratim comes up with something different for me, starting from Sreela in Maachher Jhol, Romona in Aahare Mon, Nandita in Shantilal O Projapoti Rohoshyo, Mirchi Malini and this is the fifth one. I relate to the dialogues and scripts that he brings for me, except for Kalki with whom I couldn’t relate to mostly. She is good in her own way, she is good at her job and she loves her job. That’s why she says ‘everything is fair in love and entertainment’!

What does Valentine’s Day mean to you? What would the perfect Valentine’s Day date be for you?

I don’t believe in celebrating love just for one day. However, an ideal Valentine’s Day date for me — if I had to visualise it — would be a candlelit dinner with a lot of teddies around! I love teddies! (Laughs) The decor would be white and pink and red... or maybe it could just be about going away somewhere with your loved one, without a phone, yeah, I think that would be the best Valentine’s Day date for me.

Movies like Notting Hill, Pretty Woman, P.S. I Love You have always been my favourites. Songs like Pehla nasha, the Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge songs, Titanic! Onek aachhe! Mere khwabon mein jo aaye, (sings aloud and smiles) maybe dancing in the rain can be the best Valentine’s Day date for me. I just remembered the rain dance from the song! (Smiles) I also love the song Ye kahan aa gaye hum, from Silsila, which is again a beautiful film.

The idea of love has been explored since eons now in all forms of popular culture, humanities and the social sciences and so on, yet it eludes a single conception. How would you describe love?

I think love is a very honest feeling, the feeling that fills you when you suddenly fall for somebody. At times I feel, oh it’s sweet pain, at times I feel it’s something about being responsible, sometimes I feel it is all about being selfless, you know. It’s so difficult to define love! Every relationship has different dynamics of love, yet it never dies, it is eternal.