'Shakeela' (Hindi) is a biopic on Shakeela, the soft-porn star of Mollywood. Set to release on December 25 in about 1,000 screens in Hindi and south Indian languages, the film's trailer is out.

Bollywood actors Richa Chadha and Pankaj Tripathi play pivotal roles in this one. If the former is Shakeela herself, the latter is an actor with a penchant for sexual exploitation.

Directed by Sandalwood's Indrajit Lankesh, film tells the story of how Shakeela became the "most hated and loved adult film star that shook the industry in the late 90s and early 2000s."

Going by the trailer, the film traces how poverty pushed a 16-year-old Shakeela to take up acting in soft-porn movies, eventually becoming a sensation of sorts. Her movies were so popular that some of them went on to be dubbed into Sinhalese and Chinese. Exhibitors sought her films vehemently as she gave the biggest male stars a run for their money.

As per the makers, 'Shakeela' is the biggest release for a film post lockdown. This has to be seen as a proof of the film's popularity.

The film's director sees Shakeela's story as almost folklore. "I am happy that our producers are releasing the film so widely, gives me the confidence to know that it’s a film that will appeal to the larger masses," he says.

UFO has said that it is poised to provide films the require reach and penetration to each and every corner of India. Shakeela's publicity has been designed towards that end.

Bankrolled by Sammys Magic Cinema Motion Picture Production and distributed by UFO, the film also Ester Noronha, Rajeev Pillai and Sheeva Rana.