Thiruvananthapuram: On the sets of a Malayalam film in Thiruvananthapuram along with popular actor Srinivasan, the actress opposite him is not a regular Malayalam, but Chinese actress Zhang Shu Min.

Arabikatha, Zhang’s first film, revolves around a political activist and staunch communist called Cuban Mukundan whose love for communist China translates into the love for the Chinese girl.

"Arabikatha is based on Cuba Mukundan. Cuba Mukundan is a communist and China is his dream country. A girl from China for him is China itself. So, the admiration towards China becomes the love towards the Chinese girl," says Director, Cuba Mukundan.

Zhang had been working in a marketing company in Dubai, where she met the film's director who offered her a role in the film. Though Malayalam was an alien language for Zhang, she did not face any problem while shooting, as the story demanded a Chinese character to converse in Chinese or English.

"This is not only my first experience in Malayalam but my debut in the field too. So, I feel that I am a lucky. Of course, this is a good experience for me because normally one does not get a chance like this," says Zhang.

Arabikatha which is being shot in Kerala and the Middle East is slated for a July 5 release in Kerala.