Student Alyssa Sharma swapped the lecture theatre for the film set after winning a part in a Bollywood movie.

The second year Loughborough University student will be seen on cinema screens nationwide this month when Naachle London – Dance London – opens.

The 19-year-old, who is also a professional dancer, spent her summer holidays last year filming.

She said: "I saw about the auditions for the film last summer and went for it. It was the first feature film I have been involved with.

"It was surreal to get the part but filming was great fun.

Alyssa is part-way through an IT and business studies degree and aims to take a year out working before completing her studies.

She said: "I can't wait for my friends at college to watch it. They are very interested to see it and have been teasing me about it.

"The film is typical Bollywood and is a feel-good story with plenty of dancing and music."

The film is the first mainstream Bollywood movie to be created entirely in the United Kingdom.

Its plot has Asian single parents fall in love while their children prepare for a UK Bollywood dance competition at London Mela.

Alyssa plays Krishna, who encourages her widowed father Vijay (Raj Ghatak) in his romance with Rani (Sofia Hayat) at the dance classes the children attend.

Vijay must win Rani's father's approval, deal with intimidation and antagonism and support Krishna in her bid to win the competition.

Also in the cast is Oadby actress Fagun Thakrar who plays wild-child dance teacher Pooja.

She is the brash, flamboyant sister of Rani whose highly Westernised character causes tension within the family.

Fagun, who was educated at Beauchamp College and read medicine at university before opting for acting, said: "It is a real fun film and we had a great time filming it."

She created a sensation at Cannes last year when she danced on the red carpet for Shekhar Kapur's documentary "Bollywood: a Love Story".

Fagun will shortly to be seen in "Bhopal – A Prayer for Rain" alongside Martin Sheen.

She said: "That is a very serious film about the Bhopal chemical disaster that killed thousands."

Naachle London is released on February 24.