Sometimes it’s the script, and not the director, that Paoli (picture right) goes by when choosing a film. Case in point: Ruu, to be directed by Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, whose earlier films all sank at the box office without a trace.

“I loved the script of Ruu. It’s an HIV-positive girl that I play, so it’s very performance-oriented. Also, acting is my bread and butter, and hence I have to do various kinds of films. I can’t sit and wait for the best directors to cast me,” explains Paoli.

“If I can do my portion well, I know people will appreciate me. Besides, I’m keen on working with new directors. I am also looking forward to working with Shaheb (Bhattacharya),” she adds.

Shaheb is a Sikkimese taxi driver whom Paoli’s character bonds with when she goes to the hills with her brother (played by Shankar Chakraborty) to beat her depression.

“We are not focusing much on the protagonist’s suffering. Ruu, at the core, is a travelogue. We will shoot in the Dooars and Sikkim, apart from Calcutta,” says Sanghamitra, who hits the floors this week.