A Bhojpuri film released Friday is banking on its Ukrainian heroine for success.

Taking a leaf out of Bollywood films that feature foreign actresses, the Bhojpuri film "Firangi Dulhaniya" has Tanya, a 27-year-old model from Ukraine, playing the title role.

Tanya is not new to the world of showbiz in India. The economics graduate from Kiev University acted in a popular video remix, "Gori Hai Kalaiyan". Excited about her debut in a Bhojpuri film, Tanya will make a promotion tour across the state.

"After the premier show, she will visit different towns across Bihar to promote her film personally," the film's director Ranjan Kumar Singh told.

"Tanya is making history by playing the lead role in this film, as she has become the first foreign actress in the Bhojpuri film industry," Singh added.

"The film is inspired by the real life story of a Patna student who went to study in Russia and fell in love with a Russian girl and married her and brought her here," said Singh.

The film shows how the "firangi dulhaniya" struggles to adapt to an alien language and culture.

Tanya too faced similar challenges during the shooting of the film. She, for example, learnt the Bhojpuri language. Made with a modest budget of Rs.7 million ($160,000), it was shot in Gujarat, Mumbai and London.

"The film has everything, a new face in Tanya, good music and an emotional story with family values," said producer of the film.