Looks like casting foreign actresses is no longer a monopoly of Bollywood films. A Bhojpuri film featuring a model-turned-actress from Ukraine was released across Bihar on Friday.

Tanya, 27, plays the lead role in Firangi Dulhaniya (Foreign Bride). She was seen earlier in Bollywood music director Bappi Lahiri's Gori hai kalaiyan video.

Firangi Dulhaniya is shot extensively in foreign locations, which is quite rare for Bhojpuri films.

"Tanya is making history because she is the first foreign actress in a Bhojpuri movie," says director Rajan Kumar Singh.

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

Tanya plays the young bride who tries to adapt to an alien culture, language and food. She learnt to speak Bhojpuri from a teacher and Bhojpuri language expert from Fiji.