A serendipitous meeting sets the stage for a vibrant love story, but EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA is not your typical boy-meets-girl rom-com. Shelly Chopra Dhar’s directorial debut is India’s first mainstream lesbian Bollywood film, with an all-star cast that includes Sonam Kapoor, Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla and Rajkummar Rao.

Struggling writer Sahil (Rajkummar) is completely smitten by Sweety (Sonam) the moment he sees her at his latest play’s rehearsal, and he makes multiple grand gestures to win her over. Meanwhile, her traditional Indian family tries to find a suitable bachelor for her to marry, but Sweety is already in love with someone — a girl named Kuhu (supporting actress Regina Cassandra). She shares her secret with Sahil, who writes a new play, “How I Felt When I Saw That Girl,” to help Sweety come out to her family.

EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA is a journey for Sweety, one of both laughter and tears. (After all, she says, “The tougher the path, the more magical the story.”) Sweety has to first accept herself before she can be open with others about who she truly is. In a Cinema Express article, Sonam discussed her decision to play the progressive and complex character:

“When I read the script, I genuinely felt it was one of the most important scripts that I have read, not because of what the film was about, but because of the way it was portrayed. The atmosphere of this film is so relatable, yet the (central) idea is not something we have seen before. I loved the contrast between the two. I felt validated knowing that I was Shelly’s choice for the film.”

EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA has already received praise among critics and fans for tackling a still-taboo topic in traditional Indian culture — and with major Bollywood stars as the leads. This is the first time real-life father-daughter duo Sonam and Anil Kapoor will share the big screen, playing father and daughter as well.

Director Shelly Chopra Dhar said, “The golden rule of cinema is entertainment, and we have ensured that audiences have an enjoyable time while watching our film. Secondly, if it also manages to make people think and reflect, then that would be the best thing. We are not trying to lecture or preach anything. We have written this film with a lot of heart, and I hope people accept it with their hearts, too.”

See the most unexpected romance of the year this weekend at AMC®.