Before Chatrak , Paoli Dam had already shaken the industry with Kaalbela (2009), where she performed intimate scenes that were considered groundbreaking for Bengali cinema. She later starred in the erotic drama Charulata 2011 (which was heavily censored) and the controversial Hindi film Hate Story (2012), where she did appear in a bikini and suggestive scenes. The public began to associate her with "boldness," leading to exaggerated expectations for Chatrak .